A Light in the Dark
by Lyssa117
Summary: Story begins at Malfoy Manor during the DH "torture" scene. Mostly canon at first. Draco's POV. Please read and review
1. Chapter 1

Draco Malfoy was feeling relaxed tonight. It was such a strange, foreign feeling to him that at first he was unnerved by it. He had spent almost all of the past year feeling frightened, frustrated, angry, threatened, and tired. His muscles were in a constant state of tightness, always at the ready, knowing that at any moment he could be called upon to defend his own life or that of his family's.

But tonight...it was as if every cell in his body was breathing a small sigh of relief. He knew that it wasn't permanent, that all of the fear would be back before he knew it. The Dark Lord had left the manor to attend to a matter far away, and although his Aunt Bella remained behind, Draco knew that if he just stayed out of her way he would be fine. He was currently in the family room with his parents, all of them quietly enjoying the warm fire and the temporary, but welcome, absence of the Dark Lord in their home and lives.

"Tell me something about school." Narcissa asked, and it seemed to Draco that she was searching for something normal to talk about. He shrugged.

"Not much to tell. Things are definitely different with the Carrows running the show."

"Different good or different bad?" Narcissa prodded. Lucius looked up and narrowed his eyes. Draco knew that his father didn't think much of the Carrows and disliked the idea of them teaching his son.

Draco paused a moment while he considered his next words. He didn't really want to tell his parents how bad things actually were at Hogwarts. It would just make them worry, and there was nothing any of them could do. Just like Narcissa and Lucius had to live in the same house as the Dark Lord day after day, he had to endure what was happening at his school. It wasn't as if the Carrows bothered him, but in order to stay out of the spotlight, he had had to do terrible things to his classmates, things he was ashamed of...

"It's fine." He told him mother, and they both knew he was lying. Narcissa frowned, and Draco knew that she wasn't going to let it go. He looked at his father for help, but Lucius just averted his gaze, defeat evident in all of his features.

At that moment, a gentle chime sounded through the room. "Saved by the bell." Draco murmured under his breath, and he thought he saw a half smile cross his father's face before fading. Distracted, Narcissa waved her wand to see who had set off the wards at the front gate. A hazy picture filled the room, and Draco felt his heart skip a beat as he recognized Fenrir Greyback among the crowd of people. Narcissa closed her eyes, and Draco knew that she was sensing that their relaxing evening was about to change. Lucius got up and put a hand on her arm.

"It's just the Snatchers, Cissa. But why have they come here..." He speculated aloud. His question was answered a moment later when Greyback's voice resounded through the room.

"Potter! We have Potter!" Narcissa gasped and turned to face Lucius. Draco watched his father's face change from disbelief to delight as he waved his wand, hand shaking, to remove the wards and let the Snatcher party enter. Draco's mind was racing. After all of these months on the run, after escaping from the Dark Lord himself would Potter really let himself be caught be _Greyback_? It didn't make sense. But as the triumphant group pushed their way into the sitting room, Draco saw that they did have four prisoners, two of which he certainly recognized...

"My son is home from school for the Easter holiday!" Narcissa was saying excitedly. "He will know if this is Potter! Draco, come here!" Draco did not move any closer. He did not want to get near the terrified group of prisoners, did not want to have to be the one to identify them. Grayback pulled one of the prisoners forward and positioned him under the chandelier.

"Well, boy?" he rasped.

"Well, Draco?" said Lucius impatiently. "Is it? Is it Harry Potter?"

"What's happened to his face?" Narcissa asked the Snatchers. Draco allowed himself a quick glance, and noticed that the dark haired boy's face was swollen beyond recognition.

"It wasn't us, Ma'am. He was like this when we found him." One of the Snatchers spoke up.

"Looks like a stinging hex to me." Lucius observed. He then looked pointedly at Draco, who looked down and shrugged.

"I can't...I can't be sure."

Frustrated, Lucius said "Just think Draco...if we are the ones to hand over Potter, all will be forgiven..." He stopped when Draco looked directly at his father.

"But isn't this the Granger girl? Yes, I remember her from Madame Malkin's!" Narcissa was saying. Draco looked at the only girl in the group, and felt his heart constrict. She looked frightened and had numerous scrapes on her face, but it was definitely Granger. He had never seen her look like this, and suddenly he wanted to be anywhere but here.

"I...maybe...yeah." He answered quietly, causing his father to once again implore him to positively identify the members of the group.

"What is this? What's happened, Cissy?" The voice came from the far doorway, and seconds later, Bellatrix swept into the room. Draco saw the group visibly start at the sight of her, and try to pull in closer together. He didn't blame them, he was sure that he knew even more than they did how dangerous and unstable his aunt really was. Bellatrix walked slowly around the prisoners, and then came to a stop in front of Hermione. "But surely," she said quietly, "this is the Mudblood girl? This is Granger?"

"Yes, yes, it's Granger!" cried Lucius. "And beside her, we think, Potter! Potter and his friends, caught at last!" Draco closed his eyes, knowing that his father was fearful of the Dark Lord's wrath and desperate to get back on his good side. He rubbed his forehead and tried not to listen as Bellatrix and Lucius began to argue over who was going to summon the Dark Lord. He felt his mother grow tense beside of him. Then there was a flash of light, and Bellatrix was screaming angrily. Draco looked up and saw the Snatchers unconscious on the floor and Greyback on his knees in front of Bellatrix. She was holding a sword, face pale.

"Where did you get this sword?" she whispered to Greyback as she pulled his wand out of his unresisting grip.

"How dare you?" he snarled, his mouth the only thing that could move as he was forced to gaze up at her. "Release me, woman!"

"Where did you find this sword?" she repeated, voice becoming increasingly dangerous.

"It was in their tent, " rasped Greyback. "Release me, I say!" Draco was unable to look away, he knew that Greyback's death was inevitable. To his surprise, Bellatrix waved her wand and he sprang to his feet. As if he knew that he had been strangely spared, Greyback moved quickly out of her way and crouched behind an armchair. Bellatrix turned to face Draco, her eyes wild.

"Draco, move this scum outside," she said, indicating the unconscious men. "If you haven't the guts to finish them, then leave them in the courtyard for me."

"Don't you dare speak to Draco like..." Narcissa said furiously, but Bellatrix interrupted her.

"Be quiet! The situation is graver than you can possibly imagine, Cissy! We have a very serious problem!" Draco tried to catch his mother's eyes, but she shook her head slightly and then gestured toward the men on the floor. Shaking, Draco used his wand to levitate their prone bodies and moved them toward the door. As he was leaving, he heard Bellatrix, voice laden with uncharacteristic fear, order Greyback to take the prisoners to the cellar with the exception of Hermione.

Draco felt as though he were going to be sick. He quickly deposited the men in the yard, and then said the spell that would allow them to wake up. They sat up and looked around, disoriented.

"Get out of here." Draco hissed at them, keeping his wand leveled at their heads. "If you're still here if Bellatrix decides to come looking, you're dead." Scabior and his companions did not need to be told twice. They scrambled to their feet and ran out of the yard without looking back. Draco swallowed hard, hoping that Bellatrix would forget about them. He supposed he could tell her that he had transfigured their dead bodies and Vanished them far away...he made himself picture it in his head, went over each step in case his aunt didn't believe him and tried to search his mind.

The sound of screaming distracted him, and he hurried back into the house. Narcissa was still standing by the couch, horror etched on to each feature. Bellatrix was holding her wand over Hermione, who was screaming in pain as she was Cruciated. Almost involuntarily, Draco's hand gripped his wand tighter and he started to raise his arm.

"What do you think you're doing?" Narcissa whispered. "She'll kill you..." Draco knew that she was right, but he could not let this happen...he knew Hermione. He couldn't explain the feelings rushing through him at that moment. He hated Granger...or did he? He suddenly would have given anything to see her smile with that arrogant know-it-all look she always had in school. He could hear Weasley screaming her name from below them in the cellar. He had to act...and then Hermione sobbed that the sword was a fake.

"A copy?" screeched Bellatrix. "Oh, a likely story!"

"But we can find out easily!" came Lucius's voice, ever helpful. "Draco, fetch the goblin, he can tell us whether the sword is real or not!" Draco nodded, once, and headed over to the stairs. He was grateful that at the moment, Bellatrix wasn't torturing Hermione anymore. He took a deep breath as he reached the door, knowing that Potter and Weasley were terrified and desperate.

"Stand back. Line up against the back wall. Don't try anything, or I'll kill you!" He hoped that they wouldn't be able sense that it was an empty threat. He waited a moment, and then unlocked the door. He marched inside, wand held out in front of him. Draco saw the goblin, and grabbed his arm. He moved backward, never taking his eyes off of the people against the wall. He had to think of something, and soon...


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: I don't own any Harry Potter characters or storylines. Please send me a review if you are reading, I would love to hear your thoughts/ideas! This story will stay with Draco's POV, so it will follow what happens to him after Dobby gets Harry/Hermione/Ron out of the manor.**

Draco brought the goblin up the stairs and over to his aunt. She was holding Hermione by the hair, her wand pressing into Hermione's throat. Her brown eyes found his gray ones, and he saw the pleading and pain that was in them. He tried to communicate with his eyes that he would help her if he could, but unfortunately, Bellatrix also saw this. With a look of triumph and pleasure, she never took her eyes off of Draco as she spoke the Cruciatus spell again. Hermione screamed in pain, and Draco knew that the sound would haunt him for the rest of his days. He had to think of something...some way to get Potter out of the cellar, some way to get Hermione away from Bellatrix...

There was a loud noise from the cellar.

"What was that?" Lucius shouted. "Did you hear that? What was that noise in the cellar?" Draco knew what it was, it was the sound of someone Apparating or Disapparating. He didn't say anything, hoping that his father would instruct him to go to the cellar to check. "Draco...no, call Wormtail! Make him go and check!" Draco nodded, and went into the next room, where Wormtail was sitting at the table.

"My father wants you to go to the cellar to check on the prisoners." He told him, leaving out the information that someone may have left or arrived in the cellar. Without a word, Wormtail followed him back into the sitting room, making a wide circle around Bellatrix. Draco moved next to his mother again, hiding his wand hand behind the back of the couch. Everyone was quiet as Wormtail went down the stairs.

After a few minutes, Lucius called out, "What is it, Wormtail?"

"Nothing!" came the answer. "All fine!" Draco felt his heart sink. He had been hoping that Potter and Weasley could have somehow overtaken Wormtail. Now it would all be up to him...

Bellatrix smiled and opened her mouth to speak the torture curse again. At that same moment, Draco sent a nonverbal stunner at Hermione to render her unconscious, and also a Germinio duplicating spell. Hermione slid to the floor just as an imitation of her last scream filled the room. Draco hoped against hope that Bellatrix would believe that her last spell had caused Hermione so much pain that she had been knocked unconscious, and would focus on something else. He felt satisfied that Hermione hadn't actually felt the brutality of that spell.

Bellatrix kicked Hermione aside and turned her attention to the shivering goblin, who had picked up the sword. "Well?" she asked him. "Is it the true sword?"

"No," said the goblin. "It is a fake."

"Are you sure?" panted Bellatrix. "Quite sure?"

"Yes." said the goblin. Relief broke across Bellatrix's face, and she smiled.

"Good." Draco turned away as she pointed her wand at the goblin, and he knew by his yell that the creature had been injured. "And now," she said in a voice that burst with triumph, "we call the Dark Lord! And I think we can dispose of the Mudblood. Greyback, take her if you want to." He had to act, he was out of time, things were getting worse and out of control. And Draco knew that no matter what else happened, he was not going to let Greyback touch her...

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Ron Weasley burst into the room and Draco felt like cheering. Weasley quickly disarmed Bellatrix, and Potter caught her wand. He aimed it at Lucius and stunned him. Bellatrix was looking right at Draco, so he aimed his wand at Potter and fired a curse, along with his mother and Greyback. Potter had plenty of time to avoid the red jets of light, and threw himself behind a sofa. In all the confusion, Draco ran toward Hermione, but Bellatrix got there first. She pulled Hermione against her and pulled out a silver knife, which she pressed against Hermione's throat.

"STOP OR SHE DIES!" Bellatrix screamed, and Draco stopped his approach, watching his aunt warily. She ordered Potter and Weasley to drop the wands, and instructed Draco to pick them up. He did so, and hurried back toward her. He now was holding three wands, and wanted to be close to her in case he needed to use them. Although how the Golden Trio was going to get out of this when the Dark Lord arrived he had no idea...

There was suddenly a strange grinding noise from above. Unable to help himself, Draco tore his eyes from Bellatrix and looked up to see the crystal chandelier trembling and creaking. He knew what was going to happen before it did. Bellatrix threw Hermione away from her with a scream, and the chandelier fell on Hermione and the goblin. Shards of crystal flew in all directions, and Draco felt it cut into him. He doubled over in shock, hands clutching his face. He was dimly aware of Weasley pulling Hermione out of the wreckage, and Potter leaping over a chair toward him. As Potter reached Draco, he wrestled the three wands from his grip. Draco fought to keep his own, but he was happy to let Potter take the other two. However, soon all three were in Potter's hand, and he used them to cast a powerful spell at Greyback. Then Narcissa was at Draco's side, pulling him away, toward the door. They both saw the little elf at the same time. Narcissa pointed her wand at him.

"Dobby!" she screamed. "You! _You_ dropped the chandelier...?" Dobby came into the room, shaking in fear. He pointed at Narcissa.

"You must not hurt Harry Potter." he squeaked.

"Kill him, Cissy!" shrieked Bellatrix, and Draco felt a rush of fear. He knew that his mother would not kill the elf and Bellatrix's wrath would be insurmountable. The problem was solved a moment later when Narcissa's wand flew out of her hand and landed on the other side of the room. This prompted more screaming from Bellatrix, and Dobby's declaration that he had come to save Harry Potter and his friends. Draco knew that they did not have much time, he had seen Bellatrix press her Dark Mark. He would be here soon, what was Potter waiting for...

"Ron, catch...and GO!" Potter yelled, throwing Weasley one of the wands. He bent down to pull the goblin out of the wreckage, and then grabbed Dobby's hand. Draco watched Weasley, he was holding Hermione and disappearing. Potter turned to Disapparate, and Bellatrix gave a cry of rage and threw her knife. Draco watched it streak across the room, and then disappear with The Boy Who Lived. It must have hit something...otherwise it would not have gone with them..Draco felt sick, but comforted himself with the thought that Hermione was safe and at least Potter wouldn't die at the Dark Lord's hands, not today anyway and not in his house.

**Next chapter...the Dark Lord returns to find that Harry Potter has escaped... Please read and review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters or storylines. Thank you to those who have put this story on "alert" and their "favorites" list...I really appreciate it! And now on with the story...The Dark Lord has returned to the Manor and he's not happy...**

A plume of black smoke materialized in the middle of the room. Draco watched Bellatrix's expression instantly change from anger to terror. He glanced at his mother and saw the same look mirrored in her eyes. She grasped his shoulder tightly and started to push him behind her. Draco shook off her hand, trying to communicate without words that that action would only call attention to him. Narcissa seemed to understand, and loosened her grip but did not let go. "Accio wand." She whispered in a quivering voice, and her wand flew from across the room. She caught it and pressed it into Draco's hand. "Take it..." He only had time to close his fingers around it before his mother's grip, iron again, was pushing him to the floor. She didn't have to force him this time, he quickly got to his knees and bowed his head in deference to the Dark Lord.

"On your feet. All of you." Voldemort's voice was quiet, dangerous. Although he preferred to stay down on the floor, Draco slowly stood up with his mother and Bellatrix. Lucius and Greyback, still stunned, remained motionless on the floor. Draco could feel Narcissa trembling, and he fought to keep his composure. "What has happened here?" Voldemort surveyed the overturned furniture and shattered chandelier. He addressed his question to all of them, but Bellatrix answered.

"My Lord...we had him...we had Potter..."

"Here? In this house? Then where is he?" Voldemort's false calm was evaporating quickly.

"He..he..he..escaped, My Lord. A...a...a...house elf helped him..."

"Silence!" The Dark Lord roared. He aimed his wand at her, and a red streak of light hit her in the face. Bellatrix shrieked in pain, and then bowed her head again, chest heaving. "Is this true, Draco? The boy was here and you let him get away? You let a _house elf_ save him?" He was jeering now, the contempt dripping from his voice. Narcissa gave a small, almost inaudible whimper. Draco swallowed hard as he forced himself to face Voldemort.

"Yes, my Lord." he said quietly, knowing that Voldemort was not interested in excuses or reasons. Voldemort nodded, and then turned his attention to the stunned figures on the floor.

"My Death Eaters, useless. Ennumerate!" The revitalizing spell hit Lucius and Greyback, who instantly got to their feet. When they saw who was standing in their midst, both looked as though they would have rather remained where they were.

"I take full responsibility, My Lord." Lucius said with a quick glance at his wife and son.

"Oh, make no mistake, Lucius, you will be taking responsibility." Voldemort sneered. He raised his wand again, and Draco knew what was coming, knew there was no way to avoid it...

"Crucio!" He screamed the spell, and all of the Dark Lord's anger and vengeance hit like a tidal wave. Draco had been clinging to the hope that the pain would be diluted a little since Voldemort had cursed them all at once, but that was not the case. Agony like he had never experienced before coursed through his entire body, his very bones were on fire, his skin felt as though it were being ripped off inch by inch...a dreadful inhuman scream filled his ears and it took a moment for him to comprehend that it was coming from himself. The pain seemed to go on and on...but through it all Draco held on to the one sliver of light inside of him, the knowledge that Hermione was safe.

When the curse was finally lifted, they all found themselves laying on the floor, moaning. Voldemort observed them, a small smile on his snake face, before speaking.

"Fenrir, I regret that you were not able to summon me and appreciate that you attempted to take Potter here, to the place that _should_ have been able to reach me instantly. If you are fortunate enough to capture Potter again, I instruct you to immediately Apparate to Hogsmeade and contact Severus at the school. You may go."

"Yes my Lord. Thank you My Lord." Greyback replied, his raspy voice shaking and breathless. He gave the Malfoys a backward, almost pitying glance as he slunk to the door and then ran. Voldemort walked up and down the room, his red eyed gaze piercing everyone.

"Well, well, well. What to do with my remaining followers. Who have proven quite useless to me. I do admit that I considered calling Nagini for an early dinner (Narcissa whimpered again), but alas, she may have to wait. I came here in the middle of an..urgent business transaction...and I must return to it. None of you are to leave this house. For any reason. If I find that you have disobeyed, or if you summon me again, all of you will be begging me to put you back under that curse."

Terrified, Draco murmured "Yes My Lord" along with his parents and Bellatrix. He kept his head bowed subserviently until he heard the faint pop that meant the Dark Lord was gone.

**Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters of story lines. If I did, the amount of money in my checking account would have some extra zeros on it...thank you all who are reading, I appreciate it and would love to hear your thoughts! And now, back to the story...sometimes there is nothing worse than being trapped with your own thoughts for company...**

Draco felt like screaming, if for no other reason than to break the monotony. The past couple of weeks had been, in their own unique way, just as excruciating as Voldemort's torture curse. He spent his days wandering around the manor, occasionally pausing to glance longingly out a window, counting down the days until his return to Hogwarts. If that Dark Lord allowed him to return, that is. The confinement was making Lucius more irritable than ever, and even Narcissa was sober and moody. And Bellatrix...well, he just stayed out of her way. His aunt had not mentioned the fact that Draco had exchanged a "look" with Hermione. He was hoping against hope that she had forgotten about it with all of the events that followed, but one never knew with Bellatrix. She wasn't quite as dangerous without her wand, but Draco wasn't taking any chances. He felt a small degree of superiority, knowing that he was the only one in the house still in possession of a wand, although he was afraid to use it. Lucius and Bellatrix thought that Narcissa's wand had been lost in the chaos of the night Potter escaped, and Draco did not feel it was wise to have them know otherwise. His mother, of course, knew that he had her wand. Sometimes she would come to his room late at night, and they would sit on his bed and use the wand to project images of happier family times on to the wall. It was in those moments that Draco felt a measure of happiness, and it was due to watching his mother smile. During the day, she generally kept to herself and didn't speak much to anyone.

It was on the third day that Draco found his thoughts absently wandering over to Hermione, as he tried to picture what she was doing, how she was, if she was safe. He knew what Bellatrix could do, and shivered when he thought of Neville Longbottom's parents. He hoped that he had stunned Hermione in time, that she had suffered no lasting damage as a result of Bellatrix's torture. On all of the subsequent days of his two week confinement, Draco thought of Hermione almost constantly. He thought back to all of the times he had been mean to her in school and felt a degree of shame. The fact that she had mostly ignored him and had never really insulted him back made him feel even worse. He had to laugh when he remembered the day in their third year when she had slapped his face. Crabbe and Goyle had teased him mercilessly about that, when they weren't busy dreaming up countless appropriate punishment for the "mudblood." He wondered if he would ever get the chance to talk to her again. He began to devise scenarios where they would meet in different places, start talking, and she would smile at him. Draco found that he rather liked the idea of seeing friendship and laughter in her brown eyes instead of contempt, or more recently, fear and pain. That thought made him remember again what Bellatrix had put her through, and he rolled the wand between his hands as he considered, and not for the first time, removing the memory from his head. He always decided against it, though. It was if a part of him wanted to remember, wanted to know what the supporters of Voldemort truly were and the lengths that they would go through to protect their own interests. The side of Light would never do that, he thought almost bitterly. He knew that this was always dangerous territory, because his mind and memory would involuntarily jump to Dumbledore's pleading face that terrible on the tower...Draco gave himself a mental shake and forced himself to think of Hermione and imagine her showing him how to brew a potion...maybe they could make a love potion together...

"Draco!" Narcissa's anxious voice came from the other side of his closed bedroom door. Draco jumped off of his bed and tried unsuccessfully to push his current thoughts of Hermione into a safe place in his mind to return to later. He opened the door, and felt his heart sink when he saw the expression on his mother's face. Something was wrong...something was happening... "He has returned." Narcissa said, and started wringing her hands. "He is in the conference room, everyone is with him..." Draco nodded, trying to appear strong. They had all known, of course, that the Dark Lord would return from his secret mission eventually. Well, that day had unfortunately arrived, and how he had to deal with it.

"He expects us there, then?" Draco started to move out of his room.

"No!" Narcissa cried, placing both hands on his chest to keep him from leaving. "He has not summoned you or I to be there, just your father and Bella...I was coming to tell you that no matter what you hear, no matter what happens, _you are to stay in this room_."

Instead of answering her, Draco asked "Where will you be?" She had already started down the hall and she replied without turning around.

"In the dining room in case I am needed. I have to know that you are safe from him..." She turned the corner, and he watched her long blonde hair fly behind her for a moment as she disappeared. It was then that Draco remembered the wand.

"Mother!" He hissed, afraid to shout. "I want you to take the...wand." he stopped when he realized that she was gone and couldn't hear him. Draco Malfoy had done some terrible deeds in his life, but hiding out in his bedroom with the only weapon while his mother faced danger wasn't going to be one of them. He decided that his best course of action would be to see what the Dark Lord was up to. The manor contained many secret rooms and passageways (a few of his imaginings about Hermione had involved showing her some of them) and there happened to be two that led to the conference room, formerly the Malfoy dining room. Draco shut and locked his room door, leaving some music lightly playing in case his mother decided to come back up to check on him.

Draco crept silently down the hall, and then stopped when he reached a portrait of his great grandfather. His elder relative's eyes followed Draco's every move as he touched his wand to a barely discernible spot on the wall. Immediately, a small arched doorway appeared and Draco entered, turning to seal it again behind him. Lights on the wall came on automatically as he moved stealthily down the stone staircase. At the bottom, he chose the left side of a narrow stone passageway and knew he was approaching the dining room. As he got closer, his sense of misgiving grew. If the Dark Lord somehow sensed his presence...if that hateful snake knew he was here...none of these would be good for Draco. He tried to think of a logical reason for being in the passage, but could not come up with one. He took a deep breath as he reached the end of the passage. He pressed his ear against the stone, but could not hear anything. Hoping that he would not be cursing his own stupidity shortly, Draco spoke the spell that would unlock the door and stood back as it appeared before him. Casting a Silencing Spell on it, he opened it slightly...just a crack so that he could see and hear...

The sight that greeted Draco was strange. The lights were dim but he could make out the Dark Lord standing in the center of the room. The table had been pushed up against the far wall. Some of the Death Eaters were standing in a semi circle around Voldemort, looking fearful. There were some other wizards there too, but Draco didn't recognize any of them. A small, quaking figure was kneeling at Voldemort's feet. Draco thought for a moment that it was a child, and then realized that it was a goblin. He searched for his father, and caught sight of him standing in the spot farthest away from the door, terror etched in all of his features.

"What did you say to me?" Voldemort's voice was high and cold as he addressed the goblin. The goblin started to look up, and then lowered his eyes again, visibly trembling. "Say it again!" Voldemort commanded. "_Say it again!_"

"M..my..Lord," stammered the frightened goblin, "M..my Lord...we t-tried to st-stop them...Im..imposters, my Lord...broke...broke into the...into the Lestranges' v-vault..."

"Imposters? What imposters? I thought Gringotts had ways of revealing imposters? Who were they?" Draco felt his heart racing. He didn't know what was going on, why someone would break into his aunt and uncle's Gringott's vault. His father had mentioned something, once, an important item...he hadn't identified exactly what, that the Dark Lord was keeping there.

"It was...it was...the P-Potter b-boy and t-two accomplices..." Draco gasped, and then clapped a hand over his mouth in terror. Fortunately, the Dark Lord was so focused on the goblin that he had not noticed. Had Hermione been one of those accomplices? He felt an involuntary stab of admiration for Potter. While he, Draco, had been basically sitting in his room for two weeks, Potter had been breaking into one of the most powerful wizarding institutions in their world to bring the Dark Lord down.

"_And they took?_" the Dark Lord cried, his voice rising. "Tell me! _What did they take?" _Draco suddenly knew that there was no answer the goblin could give that would appease the Dark Lord.

"A...a s-small golden c-cup, m-my Lord..." It was the last thing the goblin would ever say. Voldemort gave a scream of rage and slashed his wand through the air. Draco closed his eyes and held up his hand to block the vision of the green light that was erupting through the room. He raised his own wand, knowing as he did so that he was no match for Voldemort...where was his father...Draco opened his eyes in time to see Lucius sprinting for the door, pushing others out of his way. Bellatrix was right behind him. The Dark Lord was in a terrible rage as again and again the wand fell...those who were left behind were slain...Draco wanted to run back to his room, wished he had listened to his mother and yet he was unable to look away. If the Dark Lord should catch him here...

Voldemort paced up and down the room, viciously kicking bodies out of his way. Then he stopped, and spoke in the strange language that he used to call his snake to him. Before Draco could shut the door, the Dark Lord walked purposely from the room. Not wanting to be alone with the bodies, Draco closed the door and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. He sprinted back through the passageway and up the stairs, through the secret doorway and down the hall. He slid back into his bedroom and fell on to his bed, breathing heavy and trying to close his eyes against the terrible nightmare he could not seem to wake up from.

**Please review!**


	5. Chapter 5

**I don't own anything -sigh- and I would like some more reviews, please! Thanks in advance and enjoy the story. :)**

The Malfoy family spent the entire next day waiting. Tension was high in the house, as no one knew what was going to happen. Although he was terrified for his own family, Draco could not help fearing for Hermione's safety. He knew that she was smart, much smarter than him, and that was the only thing stopping him from disobeying the Voldemort's directive and going to see for himself that she was okay.

"I've seen him angry before, but he's never lost control like that." Lucius told his wife in a hushed whisper. Draco would have like to agree, but then he would have to admit that he had disobeyed his mother and risked becoming one of the dead bodies littering their former dining room. He still shivered at the sight of Bellatrix, a harsh look on her face, ordering the house elves to "take care of the mess." Draco had been tempted to use his wand to help them, but he didn't want to call Bellatrix's attention to the fact that he still had a weapon. In the end, he comforted himself with the fact that house elves had their own powerful magic and probably would be able to dispose of the bodies quickly.

Darkness was starting to cover the yard outside the window and long shadows were skulking across the wall when the summons they had been waiting for arrived. Lucius and Draco both clutched their arms simultaneously as their dark marks burned painfully.

"Time to go." Draco said, taking a deep breath.

"No." Lucius's voice was strong despite his injuries from the previous night. Draco looked at him, a question on his face. "I don't know what's happening but I don't want you anywhere near this."

Narcissa nodded and wrapped her arms around him. "Apperate to Hogsmeade, and then get yourself to the school. Stay in the castle, keep your head down, you'll be safer there than..." Her unspoken words hung in the air. Draco looked from his mother to his father, but their expressions were set. In that moment, Draco knew that they would both willingly give up their lives to keep him safe.

"I can't let you do that!" He cried. "If you go to him...and I'm not there...he'll murder you, you don't mean anything to him..."

"No life means anything to him." Narcissa said quietly. "We will take that chance, Draco. By the grace of Merlin, we will all be together again.." Tears were rolling down her face as she pulled him into her embrace. Draco clutched on to her, greedily inhaling the scent of her hair, her skin...when he finally pulled away, he tried to press the wand into her hand, but she resisted.

"No." she said firmly, and Lucius clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed affectionately.

"We want to know that you have it, that you can protect yourself." His father's eyes were bright, and Draco knew that this might be the last conversation he would have with his parents. How could he just leave...he wanted to stop time and stay here with his parents for just a little while longer...

"On second thought, I think I will use the wand for a moment." Lucius held out his hand and Draco gave him the wand. He was glad that his father was taking charge, relieved that his family was going to stay together. Lucius waved the wand, and a hazy golden light swirled around Narcissa and himself. The gold light moved to Draco, and lingered on his Dark Mark before fading away. Lucius handed the wand back to Draco and smiled sadly. "That was an anti-tracking spell, Son. You can't follow us now and you can't Apperate to the Dark Lord. Go to the school." He and Narcissa gripped hands, and Draco kept his eyes fixed on his mother until as they both vanished from sight.

Draco took a long, last look around the Manor. He didn't know if he would ever be returning here, if there was anywhere that he would be safe from Voldemort. Trying not to think of his parents, he pictured the village of Hogsmeade in his mind and soon felt the familiar pull that let him know he was leaving.

He started running as soon as his feet hit solid ground and he didn't stop until the castle gate loomed before him. He gripped it, heart sinking as he realized it was locked.

"Alohomora!" He murmured, touching his wand to the lock. Nothing happened. "Let me in!" He called, not liking how exposed and vulnerable he felt. He wondered if he should scout around for a discarded broomstick, but then decided that it would be a waste of time. Wards were most likely set up against any kind of intrusion, whether it be through the gate or by air. He squinted his eyes as he thought he saw a figure moving on the other side of the gate. "Lumos!" he called, and held the lit wand out in front of him.

"Is that you making all that noise out here, Mr. Malfoy?" A familiar voice greeted him.

"Professor Slughorn!" Draco felt relief course through him. "Please, open the gate!" Slughorn muttered the words to remove the wards, and the heavy iron gates swung forward to admit him.

"Mr. Malfoy, I don't know why you're out here, but I suggest you get to your common room immediately." Draco nodded at the potions professor, and sprinted toward the castle. He ran through the familiar corridors and down to the dungeons. Hoping that the same password still worked, he spoke it breathlessly and could have cried in relief when the portrait swung open. He flew into the dimly lit green room and was greeted with cries of surprise.

"Malfoy! What're you doin' here?" Goyle jumped to his feet.

"Long story." Draco said curtly. "What's going on?"

"Somethin's happening, Carrow said Potter might show up! We was just decidin' where he might go." Crabbe spoke up.

"Maybe you shouldn't be telling Malfoy all of this. Seems to me he shouldn't even be here." A cool voice drawled from the corner. Draco looked over at Blaise Zambini, who was sitting with his arms crossed over his chest.

"What are you talking about, Blaise?" Draco asked, feeling an unpleasant sensation creeping up his chest.

Blaise raised an eyebrow. "My mother said that the Dark Lord blames your family for Potter's latest escape, and none of you were supposed to leave your manor. Strange that you'd be here if that's the case." Crabbe and Goyle looked from Blaise to Draco, mouths hanging open in surprise. Draco shifted his feet nervously, keeping a tight grip on his mother's wand.

"He told me to come here." He lied, grateful that his friends did not know Legilimency. "I let the Death Eaters in last year, he knows I can capture Potter if he comes to the school." Blaise kept his expression impassive, but made no move to get up or challenge Draco. "Crabbe, Goyle...let's go, I have an idea where Potter will be..." Draco went out the door again, followed by his two closest friends. He decided to lead them to the last place he figured Potter would go, the lonely corridor that housed the Room of Requirement. If things got too heated, he could always command the room to become a hideout and stay in there for awhile. He allowed himself a quick fantasy of finding Hermione and taking her in there with him, her hands running up and down his chest as she thanked him for saving her.

When they reached the corridor, Crabbe gave Draco a look of disdain. "Potter's not coming up here! What're you playin' at, Malfoy?"

"He'll be here." Draco said, trying to keep his voice smooth and confident. "We just have to wait for a little while." Crabbe exchanged a doubtful look with Goyle, but he settled himself down on the floor, leaning up against the wall.

"Got any food?" He asked. Goyle grunted a yes and handed Crabbe a sweet from the pocket of his robes. He didn't offer anything to Draco. Draco knew his friends were getting suspicious, but he hoped to use this time to come up with a plan. He was glad that Zambini hadn't accompanied them, Draco knew he wouldn't be as easy to outsmart as Crabbe and Goyle. He sighed to himself and sank down on the floor beside Crabbe, trying to appear watchful and casual at the same time.


	6. Chapter 6

It seemed as though hours had passed. Draco was keenly aware of Crabbe and Goyle becoming more and more restless beside of him. Every once in a while they would stare at him with open contempt and then exchange a look with each other. Draco kept a tight grip on his wand and started to finalize his plan for distracting them so that he could get away...

A sudden cold, familiar voice filled the castle, echoing off of the walls and corridors. Draco got to his feet immediately, followed by Crabbe and Goyle.

"I know that you are preparing to fight. Your efforts are futile. You cannot fight me. I do not want to kill you. I have great respect for the teachers of Hogwarts. I do not want to spill magical blood." Draco chanced a sideways look at Crabbe, but he seemed bewildered. None of them knew what the Dark Lord was planning. "Give me Potter," Voldemort's voice continued, "and none shall be harmed. Give me Harry Potter, and I shall leave the school untouched. Give me Harry Potter and you will be rewarded. You have until midnight."

"Here we go." Goyle hissed, wand ready as he pointed it down the corridor fearfully.

"Game time." Crabbe echoed, but there was a vicious excitement in his voice. Draco took a deep breath. He didn't have any time left, he could sense that events were going to start unfolding, and fast. He had to find Hermione, had to make sure that she was safe.

"Let's spread out...maybe Potter went to the dungeons instead." He suggested in a confident voice, trying to inject his usual arrogance into his words. Goyle shook his head.

"Nah, I'm stayin' right here. Seems the safest place to be right now. Besides, we can see up and down both sides of the hall, if Potter comes this way we can grab 'im." Draco started to protest, but stopped himself at the look on Crabbe's face. Something had changed in his friend, and he wasn't sure what. In all of the years that they had known each other, Crabbe and Goyle had always followed him, always did whatever he told them to. But now...now that it really mattered, now that he needed to find Hermione, they were against him. Draco smacked his wand on to his palm in frustration, causing red sparks to fly everywhere. Crabbe jumped back, and Draco saw a glimpse of respect on his face. Crabbe didn't take his eyes off of Draco as he started to sit back down again on the floor.

The castle suddenly shook with an unseen blast and strange lights reflected in the windows from outside.

"It's started." Draco said, looking hard at Crabbe and Goyle. "Quickly, disillusion charms." Crabbe and Goyle struggled with theirs for a few minutes, but soon all three of them were invisible. Draco did not like the idea of not being able to see where Crabbe and Goyle were, but he couldn't think of any other way to slip away from them. The castle shook again, and he instinctively grabbed on to the wall for support, cursing under his breath. He tried to think about where Hermione would be. She wouldn't be hiding, he knew that. She would be right in the thick of things, dueling with wizards twice her age and immeasurably evil...the need to get away and find her was overwhelming. The sounds of screams, shouting, and glass breaking were resounding through the castle. Dust was filling the air as more blasts, louder and closer this time, hit the castle again and again.

Voices approached, scared, calling out for comrades. Draco thought that he recognized a couple of them, but he couldn't be sure. And then, heart sinking, he saw Potter, Weasley, and Hermione running down the corridor towards them. Crabbe snickered beside him.

"You were right, Draco! Let's get 'em." He whispered under his breath.

"No!" Draco reached into thin air to try to clutch Crabbe's arm. "I want to see what he's going to do..." Potter stopped in front of the door to the Room of Requirement, just a couple of feet away from Draco.

"I know it's here. I know the diadem's here." He muttered to himself, pacing in front of the blocked entrance. A large wooden door suddenly materialized, one that Draco knew very well. Potter, Weasley, and Hermione dove through the door, and it disappeared behind them. Crabbe materialized in front of Draco, his face red with fury. Draco murmured the counter spell, and knew from the warm sensation spreading down his body that he was visible again.

"Why'd you do that?" Crabbe yelled, his face inches from Draco. "We had 'im, we had Potter, an' you let 'im go!"

"Didn't you see the door that appeared, Crabbe?" Goyle spoke up. "That's the Room of Hidden Things...I remember it from last year!"

"I was just about to tell you that." Draco said, even though the truth was he had had no intention of it. "Why don't you head back downstairs and I'll go in after Potter..." Crabbe laughed and Goyle looked incredulous.

"There's three of 'em in there!" Goyle replied. "You'll need us with you to take 'em down!"

"Yeah." Crabbe echoed, voice laced with suspicion. Draco shrugged, trying to appear nonchalant.

"Whatever. Let's go, then." _I need to see the place where everything is hidden._ Draco thought, and the door immediately reappeared. They went through, wands out, and followed the sounds of the heavy running footsteps in front of them.

"This way, this way, Potter's goin' down here..." Crabbe whispered gleefully and they ran deeper into the labyrinth of discarded objects. They turned a corner, and then Potter was in front of them, arm outstretched as he reached for something above him. "Now!" Crabbe said quietly, aiming his wand. Knowing that the only way to stop Crabbe from cursing Potter was to get his attention, Draco spoke up quickly.

"Hold it, Potter." Crabbe shot Draco a look of pure hatred before he raised his wand, pointing it directly at Potter. Goyle mimicked his movements. Potter whipped around and faced them, and Draco recognized his own wand in Potter's hand. "That's my wand you're holding, Potter." Draco said, wondering if he could use the disarming spell to get it back.

"Not anymore.'' Potter panted, and Draco saw him tighten his grip on the wand. "Winners, keeprs, Malfoy. Who's lent you theirs?"

"My mother." Draco replied, feeling a stab of worry hit him as he thought of his parents. Potter laughed, but there was no humor in it. Draco thought he sounded exhausted, and almost close to tears.

"So how come you three aren't with Voldemort?" Potter asked. Draco flinched involuntarily at the sound of the name.

"We're gonna be rewarded," Crabbe answered, smiling. "We 'ung back, Potter. We decided to find you, bring you to 'im."

"Good plan." Potter said sarcastically. Draco noticed that he was moving ever so slightly toward the tower of junk behind him. Where were Weasley and Hermione? He wished that he could warn Hermione to keep away, but at the same time he wanted them to show up so that the score would be even. Crabbe was making him nervous. "So how did you get in here?" Potter asked, and Draco knew that he was trying to buy time, distract them. He wished he were better at Legilimency, wished he could communicate with Potter that he wanted to help him, wanted to keep Hermione safe...he realized that Crabbe and Goyle were waiting for him to answer.

"I virtually lived in the Room of Hidden Things all last year." Draco replied bitterly, trying not to let the terrible memories flood his mind. "I know how to get in."

"We was hiding in the corridor outside." grunted Goyle. "We can do Diss-lusion Charms now! And then you turned up right in front of us and said you was looking for a die-dum! What's a die-dum?" Draco knew what a diadem was, and could see the dirty one sitting above Potter's head, just out of his reach. He wondered what it had to do with the Dark Lord, why Potter had come in here to get it. He thought about the previous night, when all of those people had been killed in his house over a cup...he didn't have time to speculate more because Weasley's voice suddenly reached them from the other aisle.

"Harry? Are you talking to someone?" With a whiplike movement, Crabbe pointed his wand at the fifty foot mountain of old furniture, broken trunks, and old books and shouted "Descendo!" The wall began to totter, then the top third crumbled down to where Weasley must have been standing.


	7. Chapter 7

**I don't own anything! Thank you to my wonderful reviewers, marsiWHOdini, KogoShuko, ilovecupcakesxxx, and .rain! Butterbeers all around! Here is the next chapter, enjoy!**

"Ron!" Potter bellowed, and from somewhere out of sight Hermione screamed. Draco felt the sound in the very core of his being. Was she there, on the other side of that wall? She would be crushed by the falling objects...before he could act, Potter pointed his wand and shouted "Finite!" and the wall steadied. Crabbe cursed under his breath and raised his arm to no doubt repeat the spell.

"No!" Draco yelled, grabbing his arm. He had to think of something quick, a logical explanation for stopping Crabbe so that he would not get any more suspicious..."If you wreck the room, you might bury this diadem thing!"

"What's that matter?" said Crabbe, tugging himself free. "It's Potter the Dark Lord wants, who cares about a die-dum?" Draco felt the frustration rising within him. He had to convince Crabbe to focus on the diadem.

"Potter came in here to get it," he replied angrily, "So that must mean.."

"'Must mean'?" Crabbe interrupted, and Draco saw a look of contempt and triumph that he had never seen before on his friend's face. "Who cares what you think? I don't take your orders no more, _Draco_. You an' your dad are finished." Draco rushed to think of a response. This was spinning out of control quickly. He knew that eventually he was going to have to stun Crabbe, the question was, how would Potter react?

"Harry?" Weasley's voice came from the other side of the wall. "What's going on?"

"Harry?" mimicked Crabbe. "What's going...no, Potter! Crucio!" Potter had used the moment of distraction to lunge for the top of the pile. Crabbe's curse missed him, but struck a few of the objects on top. They soared upward for a moment, and they all watched as the objects dropped out of sight. The weary look in Potter's eyes seemed to triple.

"STOP!" Draco shouted at Crabbe, grabbing his wand arm again. "The Dark Lord wants him alive..." It was a last attempt to reason with Crabbe. If bringing up the Dark Lord's name didn't make him settle down, Draco was going to have to stop him, and soon.

"So? I'm not killing him, am I?" Crabbe yelled back, shaking off Draco's arm. "But if I can, I will, the Dark Lord wants him dead anyway, what's the diff..." Out of the corner of his eye, Draco saw a red light streaking toward them. Without thinking, he pulled Crabbe out of the way. He felt his heart drop when he looked up and saw Hermione running toward them. Crabbe's lower lip curled in anger.

"It's that Mudblood! Avada Kedavra!" Hermione dived aside just in time. Draco was filled with rage and fear, horrified that his former friend had actually meant to kill. He raised his wand to fire a powerful stunning spell at Crabbe, but Potter was faster. As Crabbe dived out of the way, he bumped into Draco, knocking his wand out of his hand. He reached for it desperately, but it rolled beneath a mountain of furniture and boxes. Wandless and defenseless, he turned to his friends and mustered all of the authority he could.

"Don't kill him! DON'T KILL HIM!" He screamed at them. Surprised, Crabbe and Goyle hesitated for a mere second. Potter took advantage of that moment and disarmed Goyle. Hermione ran to them, shooting spells at both Draco and Goyle. Draco ducked out of the way as Goyle fell. Potter was yelling about the diadem...Crabbe was firing curses...Draco had to communicate to Hermione that he wanted to help her...

"HARRY!" Hermione screamed suddenly, and Draco looked up as well. Weasley and Crabbe were both running hard up the aisle and a roaring noise filled the air.

"Like it hot, scum?" Crabbe panted. As soon as the flames were visible, Draco knew. His friend had cast a terrible curse, the Fiendfyre. Even if he had still had his wand, Draco had no idea how to stop it, and he knew that Crabbe didn't either. As Potter desperately called upon water, Draco grabbed the immobilized Goyle and ran. He had to get to higher ground, had to get away from the beasts that were pursuing them...he saw a pile of desks and headed toward it. He slung Goyle over his shoulder, fireman style, and began the arduous task of climbing. When he reached the top, he chanced a look below. The flames were coming, and he could not see anyone else. Where was Hermione? He had never wished for a wand more than at this moment. In the next instant, he knew that it wouldn't matter soon. The fire was storming closer, the flaming serpents and dragons bearing down on him and Goyle. This was how it was going to end...he hoped it was quick...he closed his eyes and thought of Hermione...

A shout from above made him open his eyes. Potter was there, on a broomstick, circling the room. Was he looking for them? Would he actually help them? Their eyes locked and Draco raised his arm. Potter dived in closer and grasped Draco's hand, but his weight combined with Goyle were too much. His hand slid out of Potter's grasp. A flaming chimaera bore down on them. Draco raised his terrified eyes to find Potter, wanted to plead with him to try again event though he knew it would be in vain...

"IF WE DIE FOR THEM, I'LL KILL YOU, HARRY!" roared Ron's voice. He and Hermione swooped down and dragged Goyle on to their broom. Draco clambered up behind Potter, and both brooms shot away, mere inches from the chimaera's grasp.

"The door, get to the door, the door!" Draco screamed in Potter's ear, holding on tightly. He tried to look around for Crabbe, but all he could see was flame and smoke. It was getting impossible to breath, but the door was near...all of a sudden Potter swerved and dived back into the din. What was he doing, was this his plan, to kill them both, they were headed right into the open mouth of a flaming serpent...Potter caught something around his wrist and wheeled around. Draco heard someone screaming, and then realized that the sound was coming from himself. Clean air filled his lungs in a sudden rush, and he tumbled off of the broom with Potter as it hit the corridor wall. He gasped for air as he lay there, chest heaving. He raised his head and found Hermione, she was slumped against the opposite wall next to Goyle.

"C-Crabbe," Draco choked as soon as he could speak. "C-Crabbe.." He wanted to apologize for his friend's actions, wanted to make them understand that Crabbe wasn't always like that...

"He's dead." Weasley said curtly, no emotion in his voice. Draco did not respond. Now was not the time to mourn for his friend, not when Crabbe had so nearly killed them all. He started to struggle to his feet, he needed to go to Hermione, needed to touch her, see for himself that she was unharmed. Before he could move, a number of large bangs shook the castle, and ghostly throng of figures galloped past on horses, screaming. When they had retreated, Draco heard more screams and knew that the battle was raging on around them. Potter got up quickly and asked his friends about his missing girlfriend. Draco didn't pay too much attention to their conversation, he was filled with the alternating emotions of relief that Hermione was okay and horror at the way his friend had died. He snapped back to attention when he heard Hermione speaking. She was looking at what Potter was holding. Draco peered closer and saw that it was the diadem, only it was leaking a substance that looked like blood and it appeared to have broken in half.

"Fiendfyre...cursed fire..." Hermione's eyes were on the broken pieces. "It's one of the substances that destroys Horcruxes, but I would never, ever have dared to use it, its so dangerous...how did Crabbe know how to..." Draco did not pay attention to Potter's reply. Horcruxes! Everything suddenly seemed to click into place. In a rush of understanding, he abruptly knew the terrible sacrifice that Voldemort had made to be immortal. So this was what Potter had been up to...finding and destroying the Dark Lord's horcruxes. The fact that he was holding one right now, mere feet away, made Draco want to shrink back in terror. In the next moment he was disgusted with himself and filled with a grudging admiration for Potter. "But don't you realize?" Hermione was whispering. "This means, if we can just get the snake..." Nagini! Nagini was a horcrux! Draco felt the knowledge hit him with such force that it almost knocked him backward. Yells and the shouts of dueling filled the corridor. From his vantage point on the floor, Draco saw a group of people stumble into view, fighting and cursing. He recognized some of the Death Eaters. Weasley, Hermione, and Potter ran forward and entered the melee. Draco wished that he could grab Hermione, take her someplace safe, but he had no wand and there was no safe place...he scrambled to his feet and pulled Goyle with him. He had to get away from here, had to make sure that Goyle was hidden. Then he would find a wand somehow, and return to help...he struggled under Goyle's dead weight as he rushed down the corridor in the opposite direction.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for all of your reviews, I appreciate and enjoy reading your kind words of encouragement. This story has been closely following the book, and will continue to do so for another chapter or so...then things will take a turn! :)**

Draco dashed into an empty classroom, half carrying and half dragging Goyle. Breathing heavily, he made his way to the back of the room and opened the closet. "Sorry." He whispered to his friend as he pushed him inside. "But you'll be safe here..as soon as I find a wand I'll come back and set you free from that curse." He swallowed hard, knowing that there was a chance he would not be returning. He gave one backward glance, and then closed the door, leaving it ajar a crack, and ran from the room. He had to find Hermione...he had to find a wand...Draco moved through the castle avoiding curses and flying objects. Everything was in a state of chaos and panic. The portraits on the walls were screaming, desks were galloping down the corridors, teachers, students and Death Eaters were everywhere. Draco thought he heard Hermione's voice in all the confusion, and headed toward it, down a flight of stairs. Peeves the Poltergeist zoomed overhead, dropping Snargaluff pods on to the heads of various death eaters. Draco stopped at the landing, and looked down at the entrance hall. He couldn't see Hermione anywhere.

"What do we have here?" A voice snarled, and Draco felt a strong hand grip his neck. "Well, well, looks like I've caught a kid without a wand!" Draco's heart sank as he realized it was a Death Eater who had hold of him. "Always wanted to dispose of one of you Hogwarts brats..." He raised his wand, and Draco pleaded with him.

"I'm Draco Malfoy, I'm Draco, I'm on your side!" He knew as soon as he said the words that it was no use, the Death Eater was smiling as he started to say the Killing Curse.

Suddenly, the Death Eater's wand hand went slack and he fell to the floor. Draco breathed a sigh of relief and looked around to see who had Stunned him and saved his life. There was no one there. A ghostly fist appeared out of no where, and Weasley's voice filled the air.

"And that's the second time we've saved your life tonight, you two-faced bastard!" Weasley's fist connected with Draco's jaw, and he fell backward on top of the Stunned Death Eater. He put his hand to his mouth and felt the blood there.

He quickly got to his feet and called out "No, wait! You don't understand..." but there was no response. They must have been under Potter's invisibility cloak, and now they were gone. Draco was still reeling from what had almost happened to him, and ran down the rest of the stairs. He knew that it was too unsafe without a wand, he was of no use to anyone unless he found one...cursing his own stupidity, he stopped and pounded back up the staircase. When he reached the landing, he wrenched the wand away from the fallen Death Eater. "I'll take that..." He murmured, and felt the wand's power surge through his hand and up his arm. Feeling renewed, he headed down, aiming curses at Death Eaters from the stairs. He considered going back to free Goyle, but then decided against it. His friend had no wand, and was probably safer where he was for the moment.

Draco reached the bottom of the stairs, and ducked underneath them. From this vantage point, he could see the entrance to the castle and watch people entering or leaving. He leaned against the wall and pondered the fact that he had apparently switched sides. He felt an anger brewing inside of him at the thought of the Death Eaters in his school, they had no right to be there. He had been feeling this way ever since last year, when the Dark Lord had forced him to perform a deed that he knew was wrong. He closed his eyes for a moment and forced himself not to go back to that memory. He blamed himself for Dumbledore's death, something he would see for the rest of his life every night when he fell asleep. The school continued to shake around him, and screams and blasts filled the night. A cloud of plaster enveloped Draco from above, and some wood fell from the staircase. He ran out from underneath it, and almost collided with a cloaked figure. The Death Eater whipped around, and Draco stunned him without thinking. He cast a quick Disallusionment charm over himself and stepped next to a pillar. He wondered where his parents were. He knew that they didn't have wands, and he felt sick with fear for their safety.

**A/N Okay, going to do something a little different here...going to switch over to Narcissa's POV for just a moment...I actually borrowed this chapter from one of my other stories but I wrote it and it fits with this story line soooooo here goes. Enjoy! Don't worry, we'll be back to Draco shortly...**

She huddled in the forest, sore arms wrapped around her bruised knees. She stared straight ahead, unable to meet her husband's eyes. She knew that if she did, the panic that he felt would mirror her own and then the last remaining shards of her self control would be lost. And that would mean certain death for both of them.

Narcissa had never felt so helpless, so defeated. She didn't even have a wand to defend herself, not that it would have done any good at this point. She was not sorry that she had pressed her wand into Draco's reluctant hands hours ago, he needed the protection it provided more than she did at this point. Draco. Her thoughts settled on him yet again, and the panic and fear threatened to bubble up to the surface. She had to dig her nails into her palms to keep from crying out, keep herself from dashing headlong into the forest and toward the castle to find him. The only thing that stopped her was the knowledge that she would be dead before she took two steps. The Dark Lord was already furious with them, and was taking a vindictive pleasure in watching her and Lucius suffer over the unknown fate of their only son. Right now, the Dark Lord was pacing angrily, his foul mood causing fear amongst them all. Even Bellatrix, ever worshipful, was keeping a safe distance. The Potter boy, whose destruction had haunted Voldemort for years, was imminent. All he had to do was show himself. Voldemort had given him an hour, and it was almost up. Narcissa watched warily as Voldemort stopped pacing and moved to the edge of the clearing. He looked downward, putting his hands over his face, shoulders bent forward. It was a moment of weakness, fear, and frustration-human emotions that she had yet to see from him. She allowed herself one quick glance at Lucius, and he looked back at her wide eyed.

"I was sure he would come." The Dark Lord spoke suddenly, shattering the silence in the clearing. Even the captured half breed, Hagrid, stopped struggling against his bindings and waited to see what would happen next. "It appears I was…mistaken." Narcissa swallowed hard, terrified of the deceptive calm tone to his voice. She knew instinctively that he was angry beyond reason, beyond caring. The last time he had lost complete control of himself like this, he had killed everyone in his path. She and Lucius had just barely escaped his wrath that night. She had thanked Merlin that Draco, at least, had been safely in his bedroom. She had a fleeting thought of slipping away into the darkness, unnoticed, crawling on her hands and knees if she had to.

"You weren't." A strong voice reached them all from the other side of the clearing. Narcissa got to her feet slowly, disbelief and shock making her jaw slacken for a moment. Potter had come after all. She stared at him, but he only had eyes for the Dark Lord. It was if the rest of them were merely ghosts, black shades prowling around the edges of this night. Then Bellatrix shrieked with insane laughter shattering that illusion. Voldemort had spun around, and now faced Potter with his head cocked to one side, as if he were unsure how to proceed.

Narcissa had to admire the boy's courage. He had to have known, as he journeyed here alone, that he would not leave alive. And yet he had come, and now faced Voldemort without his wand. There was no evidence of fear on his face, but when her eyes moved to his palms, clenched slightly at his sides, she thought she detected a tremble.

"Harry! No! What do you think yer doing?" Hagrid cried out, renewing his efforts to break free.

"Silence!" Yaxley growled, aiming a silencing charm at the half giant. Narcissa watched Harry's façade almost crumble as he noticed his bound friend.

"Harry Potter. The Boy Who Lived." Voldemort smirked as he raised his wand. Potter did not answer, but continued facing him, unblinking, waiting. "Avada Kedavra!" The green light shot out of Voldemort's outstretched wand, snaking a deathly path toward the boy. Narcissa did not want to watch but she could not look away. She almost wished that Potter would look at her, would see in her eyes that she, from the barest depths of her soul, was a mother and would have stood in his place in a heartbeat if it meant her son would be spared.

The green light struck Potter, and he spun once before falling to the ground in a crumpled heap. Narcissa closed her eyes and waited for the cries of triumph, the screams of pleasure that their side had finally won. But instead, there were worried whispered and Bellatrix moaned, "My Lord! My Lord…" Narcissa felt Lucius grip her arm and she opened her eyes to see Voldemort also laying motionless on the ground where he had stood a moment ago.

Now was her chance…Narcissa knew that at this moment of distraction, she should be making her escape into the forest. But for a reason initially unknown to her, she couldn't take her eyes off of Harry Potter's inert body. He was only a boy, Draco's age in fact. She and Lilly Potter must have been pregnant at the same time, both reveled in the joy of their newborn sons within months of each other, watched them grow, take their first steps…hot tears coursed down Narcissa's face and she quickly wiped them away. It would not do her any good to attract unwanted attention at this point. Still, she could not stop picturing Draco laying in that same position, lost to her forever, and the pain nearly brought her to her knees.

Bellatrix was still moaning and crying, but now there was some relief in her voice. "Let me…" she murmured, and Narcissa saw her reaching out her arm to a feebly stirring Voldemort. He shook his head and threw off her arm.

"I do not require assistance." He said coldly, and Bellatrix backed away quickly. As the Dark Lord struggled to his feet, he never took his eyes from Harry. "The boy…is he dead?" He asked to no one in particular. They all looked at each other nervously, not sure how to answer. Suddenly, Voldemort swung his wand in her direction and Narcissa did not even have time to avoid the stinging red light as it hit her. "You…check." Voldemort commanded as she cried out in pain. She felt Lucius growl beside her and just had time to grip his arm and shake her head frantically.

Narcissa made her way slowly over to the body, trying to delay the time it took her to reach him. At any moment, she expected another jolt of pain to be aimed her way, but none came. She crouched low over Harry, feeling the bile rising in her throat. She had seen much death over the past couple of years, but this one…somehow the wrongness of all of it seemed to overwhelm her. She wanted to throw herself between Voldemort and Harry's lifeless body and make it all stop. But there was nothing she could do. She was wandless, powerless, as much of a prisoner as the grief stricken half giant behind her. As if in slow motion, she slid her hand under Harry's robes to feel his still chest.

She was shocked to feel the steady vibration, the unmistakable pounding of life beneath her outstretched hand. Narcissa suppressed a startled gasp and bent low over Harry, using her long hair to hide them both from view. On the pretense of listening for a breath, she whispered, "Draco…is he alive? Is he in the castle?" She was terrified of his answer, knowing that the odds were her only son was gone…

"Yes." Harry breathed back, staying true to his reputation for putting others ahead of himself. By all rights, he should consider her his enemy, use this last moment of his life to hurt her. Narcissa felt relief and joy course through her entire being, and wanted to cry and pound the ground with both fists at the same time. She breathed deep, shutting down her emotions. Her only response to Harry's word was to clench her hand, momentarily digging her nails into his flesh.

Narcissa removed her hand and quickly got to her feet, facing the Death Eaters and Voldemort head on. Yes, she was wandless and powerless, but here was her chance, a final opportunity for redemption. She looked at the Dark Lord, the being who had not had the capacity to understand that he had changed her allegiance forever as soon as he had threatened her son. Her gaze unwavering, she announced in the most triumphant voice she could muster, "He is dead!"

Narcissa was immediately forgotten and pushed aside as the Death Eaters cheered and screamed in victory. She fought her way through the crowd back toward Lucius, who looked down at her questioningly, his blackened eyes boring into hers. She did not blink or look away as he used his Legilimency to look deep inside of her, the only spell he could perform without a wand. He gripped her hands tightly for a moment and then let go quickly, the only indication that he also knew their son was safe.

"You see? The Boy Who Lived is dead and no man alive can threaten me now!" Voldemort was calling to the death eaters, who stood back as he raised his wand and pointed it toward the body. "Crucio!" Narcissa gulped in fear, she had been afraid of this. She wished with all of her might that she knew enough wandless magic to shield Harry from the pain that the spell was sure to cause him. She had, in desperation, cast the only spell she could perform without a wand-a useless little bit of glamour that would probably not hold up under close scrutiny. She had previously used it to cover a new wrinkle or stray gray hair, she had never attempted to direct it toward someone else. But she had tried, feeling the magic course through her hand as she clutched Harry's chest, and hoped that it was enough to disguise the beating of his heart and the telltale pounding of the pulse in his neck.

She didn't want to watch, and yet she couldn't look away. The Dark Lord was using the Crucio spell to fling Harry's body into the air again and again, and slam him into the ground, causing Narcissa to inwardly wince each time. To his credit, he did not move or give any indication that he was alive. She did not know how he could do it, she had seen the effects of that spell first hand and witnessed the horrific pain that it caused. She suddenly had a gruesome thought streak through her mind…what if this wasn't enough for Voldemort? What if he decided to cut off Harry's head and spill his blood across the forest floor?

But, fortunately, that idea did not occur to him, or he was in too much of a hurry to return to the castle. The Dark Lord freed Hagrid and instructed the half giant to pick up Harry. Yaxley slammed Harry's glasses back onto his face roughly, laughing in pleasure. Hagrid was crying as he picked up Harry gently, cradling him in his powerful arms. Voldemort hit him with another spell, forcing him to move forward. The Death Eaters fell into step behind Voldemort and Hagrid, and Narcissa and Lucius brought up the rear. Slowly, they all made their way through the forest and back to the place that Narcissa was desperate to get to…Hogwarts Castle.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you, thank you, thank you for all of the kind reviews! I love reading each one of them and I am so glad that so many of you are enjoying this story! Sadly, I still don't own Harry Potter...**

Draco crouched behind the pillar, still concealed by the Disillusionment Charm. Things were a little quieter in the entrance hall and Draco wondered why the Death Eaters had retreated. He had been firing curses at them whenever the opportunity arose, he was actually surprised that he had not been discovered. He supposed that with all of the chaos around him, it was impossible to tell where curses were coming from. With each streak of light that came from his wand, Draco felt vindicated...with each Death Eater that fell by his hand, he payed his debt to Dumbledore and Hermione...for each curse that he ducked, he gave thanks to Merlin for the gift of a few more moments of life.

Through the open doors, Draco saw movement on the grounds outside. A crowd of people were approaching the castle. When they got to a certain point, they spread out in a line, facing the doors. Draco moved away from the pillar and crept closer, trying to see who was there. With a start, he recognized the Death Eaters, many of them unmasked and sneering. He scanned the line for his parents, and then saw them, standing together and hovering near the back. The sound of running footsteps behind him made him whip around, wand outstretched and ready. All of the survivors of the battle had seen the approaching Death Eaters, and were running for the door. Draco jumped out of the way, and then followed. When he got to the steps, he made out a figure that was much taller and wider than the rest, and realized that it was Hagrid. He was holding something...what was it...it looked like a body...

"NO!" Professor McGonagall screamed in horror. Still invisible, Draco moved closer, his heart beating fast as he feared the worst. He stepped back in revulsion as he recognized the person Hagrid was cradling...

Bellatrix, standing near the Dark Lord, began laughing. The sound was chilling and Draco knew that she was taking pleasure in the pain of those around her.

"No!"

"No!"

"Harry! HARRY!" Draco recognized Hermione's voice, and tried to push his way through the crowd toward her. The rest of the students and teachers took up the cause, screaming and yelling abuse at the Death Eaters.

"SILENCE!" The Dark Lord cried, and there was a bang and a flash of light. The crowd was silenced immediately, and Draco knew that Voldemort had cast a Silencing Charm on them. "It is over! Set him down, Hagrid, at my feet, where he belongs!" The half giant shook his head, but Voldemort waved his wand, compelling the large man to obey. He set Harry down on the grass, and stepped back, head in his hands as his massive shoulders shook with grief. Draco stared at the body on the ground, unable to believe it. He had just seen Potter about twenty minutes ago, he had saved Draco's life as he ran through the castle. It made no sense that he was laying there on the ground...dead...his mission failed...Draco looked at Voldemort again, and felt a surge of hatred course through him. The Dark Lord stroked his snake, and Draco found himself lifting his wand. He just had to get a clear shot...

"You see?" The Dark Lord continued. He started walking back and forth, and Draco lowered his wand. It was too risky to aim for a moving target at this range...he had to get closer. "Harry Potter is dead! Do you understand now, deluded ones? He was nothing, ever, but a boy who relied on others to sacrifice themselves for them!"

"He beat you!" Weasley shouted, and Draco admired his courage. The charm broke, and at once the defenders of Hogwarts were yelling again. The Dark Lord raised his wand, and a louder, more powerful bang extinguished their voices once more.

"He was killed while trying to sneak out of the castle grounds!" Voldemort cried, and Draco frowned. He did not know Potter very well, had not even liked him for most of their school years together, but he was sure that Potter would never abandon his friends. It made more sense that Potter had snuck away from his friends to go to the forest alone to confront Voldemort and attempt to kill the snake. Draco felt a glimmer of satisfaction...he had the advantage...no one knew that he also knew about the Horcruxes. If he could just get close enough to the Dark Lord... "He was killed while trying to save himself..." Voldemort went on, but he was interrupted by someone hurtling out of the crowd and toward the Death Eaters. The Dark Lord effortlessly disarmed him, and the curse knocked the figure to the ground.

"And who is this?" He said in his soft snake's hiss. "Who has volunteered to demonstrate what happens to those who continue to fight when the battle is lost?"

Bellatrix cackled in delight. "It is Neville Longbottom, my Lord! The boy who has been giving the Carrows so much trouble! The son of the Aurors, remember?" Draco felt his heart sink. Longbottom, what are you doing? He said to himself, and continued his efforts push through the crowd.

"But you are a pureblood, aren't you, my brave boy?" Voldemort asked Longbottom, who had gotten to his feet and faced the Dark Lord, hands clenched into fists.

"So what if I am?" Longbottom answered defiantly, and Draco knew what was coming...you didn't speak to the Dark Lord like that...

"You show spirit and bravery, and you come of noble stock. You will make a very valuable Death Eater. We need your kind, Neville Longbottom." Even in the midst of the horror around him, Draco felt the sudden urge to laugh. Neville Longbottom would never be a Death Eater, especially after what Bellatrix had done to his parents! What was the Dark Lord thinking?

"I'll join you when hell freezes over!" said Neville. "Dumbledore's Army!" There was an answering cheer from the crowd, and Voldemort cast yet another Silencing Charm over them.

"Very well. If that is your choice, Longbottom, then we revert to the original plan. On your head be it." The Dark Lord waved his wand, and through one of the castle's shattered windows, a ragged object flew. Voldemort caught it and held it up. Draco recognized the school sorting hat. He didn't know what Voldemort was planning, but he knew the end was near for Longbottom. He had to do something, had to give Neville a chance...what could help the Gryffindor boy right now...a flash of inspiration hit him. Draco raised his wand, pointed it at the castle, and whispered "Accio Sword of Gryffindor!" He remembered how much trouble some of the students had gotten into for trying to steal it, maybe it could be of use, he hoped it was somehow in the castle...Yes! He saw it coming, streaking through the air toward him. No one else seemed to notice, all eyes were on Voldemort as he jammed the hat on to Neville's head. As soon as Draco caught hold of it, the sword became invisible under the umbrella of his Disillusionment charm. He had to act quickly. There was a spell, a powerful spell that he had just learned that could move objects instantly from one place to another. It combined the elements of Vanishing, Transfiguration, and Apparition. A powerful wizard would be able to transport an object many miles in this manner, but Draco only needed the sword to go a short distance...he focused all of his magic on to the weapon and spoke the words out loud. Instantly, it disappeared just as Voldemort flicked his own wand and the Sorting Hat burst into flames upon Neville's head.

Suddenly chaos erupted around them. There was an uproar from the distant boundary of the school, and arrows were attacking the Death Eaters. Two groups of giants ran at each other, screaming and shaking the earth. Neville broke free of the Body-bind curse upon him, and Draco saw the unmistakable glint of silver and rubies in his hand. Without hesitating, Neville raised the sword, ran at Voldemort, and sliced off the great snake's head. It spun through the air as Voldemort's mouth opened in a scream of fury.

"HARRY!" came a shout, louder than the other screams, stamps, an roars. "HARRY—WHERE'S HARRY?" Draco did not have time to consider what that meant, he was being pushed back into the castle as the other creatures joined the fray. Thestrals and hippogriffs attacked the giants, scratching at their eyes.

The house elves of Hogwarts streamed into the entrance hall, attacking the Death Eaters as they came. Everywhere he looked, people were dueling, falling, flying backward from unseen curses. Draco cast his own curses in every direction, aiming for Death Eaters as they were all forced toward the Great Hall.

"Draco! DRACO!" He recognized his mother's anguished screams, and saw her and his father fighting their way through the crowd. Draco changed direction and headed toward them, removing his Disillusionment Charm. In the next moment, he was enfolded in his mother's arms and he felt his father pulling them all away, down the stairs, toward the dungeons.

"No!" He jerked himself free.

"Son, let's get to the common room...it will be safer there...I want you away from this!" Lucius's hair was wild around his face, and terrified tears were falling from his eyes.

"Father, I can't hide out while they all fight him.." Draco said quickly, knowing that he couldn't leave Hermione up there, he had to get back, had to find her...

"Draco, you will come with us!" His mother looked on the verge of hysteria as she clawed at his arm. He pulled away and sprinted for the stairs.

"Go there, the two of you! I'll meet you in the Great Hall later...the password is "Death Eater!" Without a backward glance, he ran up the stairs and pelted into the Great Hall. He scanned the groups of dueling wizards and witches for Hermione...squinting through the jets of light that were flying in every direction..and then he saw her. His entire being froze with fear for a moment, for she was dueling with Bellatrix. He had to stop her, she would kill Hermione...as a curse zinged by Hermione, causing her flying hair to sizzle and smoke, he made his move. He pointed his wand directly at Bellatrix, and whispered "Imperio!" The curse hit her, and he felt an overwhelming feeling of power and control slide up his arm. At that same time, Molly Weasley ran at Bellatrix, her own wand whirling and slashing through the air. Draco made Bellatrix continue to fight, but made sure that her curses missed Molly. Soon...soon..it would be over...

"You-will-never-touch-our-children-again!" Molly screamed, and Draco knew the moment had come. He made Bellatrix laugh and stretch her arm out slightly, which gave Molly's curse an open target. The flash of light hit her squarely in her chest, directly over her heart. Draco turned away, not wanting to watch her fall. He knew by Voldemort's scream of rage and the triumphant cheers of the crowd that Bellatrix's rein of terror had come to an end at last.

"Protego!" Someone yelled, and suddenly Potter was there, very much alive and facing Voldemort. Draco slid through the mesmerized crowd, and finally found himself where he had been desperate to be all night...beside of Hermione.

**What do you think of Draco's part in the war? Please review!**


	10. Chapter 10

**As always, thank you so much for the reviews and words of encouragement...they all mean a lot to me and give me the inspiration to write! Here is the next chapter, enjoy!**

Time seemed to slow down as Draco stared at Hermione. Slowly, almost as if in slow motion, she turned and their eyes locked. All of the background noises faded away and it was just the two of them, standing alone in the remnants of the Great Hall.

Hermione gasped, and the moment was shattered. Draco felt shame and remorse creep over him as Hermione's weary expression changed to one of fear, and then anger. Weasley watched her face, and then followed her gaze. He quickly put an arm around Hermione and pulled her close to him, giving Draco a hard look.

"Hermione..." Draco said quietly, but Weasley interrupted him.

"Get away from us, Malfoy." His tone was scathing, and he pulled Hermione behind him and faced Draco head on. He started to raise his fist. Draco touched his slightly swollen jaw and smirked at Weasley.

"You only get one freebie tonight, Weasel King." He drawled, raising his wand. Weasley glared at him, and then turned back to watch the escalating confrontation between Potter and the Dark Lord. Draco shifted his feet, not sure what to do. He felt more desperate than ever to fix the situation, he couldn't stand for Hermione to look at him like that. He tried to think of a way to get her away from Weasley so he could just talk with her, but was distracted by something Potter was saying.

"The true master of the Elder Wand was Draco Malfoy."

Draco felt his heart thump wildly. The Elder Wand? He continued to listen, along with everyone else in the Great Hall, as Potter explained that since he had disarmed Draco at the Manor, he was now the wand's master. He watched the Dark Lord closely. Voldemort was very angry, more angry and dangerous than Draco had ever seen him. He had an overwhelming urge to run, get away from there as fast as he could, but he couldn't tear himself away. Something was going to happen...

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort's high voice shrieked through the castle as a green jet shot out of his wand.

At the same time, Potter raised Draco's wand and cried out "Expelliarmus!" The two spells collided, and the Dark Lord's wand left his hand and spun through the room toward Potter. The green jet that was the killing curse bounced back toward Voldemort and struck him directly in the chest. Draco held his breath as the evil wizard who had held his family prisoner for so long collapsed backward, arms splayed. He fell upon the floor and lay still. Screams broke out around Draco. Hermione and Weasley ran headlong toward Potter, and then it seemed as though everyone was running, desperate to get to the Boy Who Lived. Draco ran forward too, surrounded by tears and happy faces. He pushed through until he reached Hermione, grabbed on to her hand and pulled her away. Breathlessly, they pushed onward and out of the Great Hall. Draco stopped when he found himself in a quiet corridor. He turned to face Hermione, and at that moment she realized who had hold of her. Her eyes opened wide, and she yanked her hand away.

"What are you doing?" She cried, tears in her eyes. "Why did you take me out of the Hall?"

"I..." Draco faced her, unable to form his thoughts into words. "I just wanted to tell you..." He ran his hands through his hair in frustration.

"What?" Her tone was contemptuous. "What could you, the Slytherin Prince, possibly have to say to me?"

"I..." Draco tried again. "Oh, the hell with it..." In the next instant, he put his hands on her waist and pulled a shocked Hermione to him. He pressed his lips to hers and kissed her with an urgency and need that had been building up within him for weeks.

Hermione melted against him for a moment, returning his kiss. Then she pushed her hands against his chest, moved away and faced him, horror in her wide brown eyes. "What...what are you playing at, Malfoy?" She asked breathlessly, her words laced with confusion. Draco smiled sadly.

"I know I've done a lot of bad things, Hermione. Things that I'm not proud of and that I'll keep with me the rest of my life. But I'm not that person anymore."

Her eyes narrowed, and she put her hands on her hips. "Oh really? How convenient that you've had this...this.._epiphany_ right after the Dark Lord was killed! That wasn't the tune you were singing a few weeks ago at your Manor! You were content to let your aunt torture me, and you were going to stand by and let Greyback kill me! But now...now that your side is finished, you're _not that person anymore_?" She was screaming now, face bright red and anger seething from her voice.

Draco shook his head frantically and held out his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Hermione, I know that you don't have any reason to trust or believe me, but its true...I've changed. And it was well before this, I knew before Dumbledore's death that I couldn't do this anymore, didn't believe in the Dark Side anymore. He held my family captive for a year, Hermione! He lived in my house, I saw him for what he was! He's a monster, all he cared about was power and his own agenda! He had no loyalty, no compassion...not even for those on his side!" Draco closed the gap between them and grasped her hands. "If Potter and Weasley hadn't burst in, I WAS going to stop Greyback. I had my wand raised and I was ready to die before I let him hurt you. I stunned you so that Bellatrix's curse couldn't torture you anymore, and I used a duplicating spell on your last scream so she wouldn't know. You don't have to believe me, but its the truth." He looked directly into her eyes. "You know I'm not lying, Hermione. You told Weasley to come back for us in the Room of Requirement tonight, didn't you?" Hermione lowered her eyes slightly, but she didn't remove her hands.

"I did tell Ron to go back. I knew that Harry wouldn't let you die and he would need help." Draco placed a finger under her chin and tipped it up gently so that their eyes locked again.

"Is that the only reason you wanted him to go back? To help Potter?" Hermione didn't say anything for a few moments, and then shook her head as if to clear it. She pulled her hands out of his and stepped back again.

"I...I have to go." She gave him one last confused look, and then turned and ran back toward the hall.

"Think about what I said!" Draco called after her, and then followed slowly, heading toward the mixed sounds of cheering and grieving.


	11. Chapter 11

**I don't own Harry Potter or any of the characters. Enjoy and please review to let me know what you think! **

As the rest of that long morning wore on, Draco did not get another chance to speak to Hermione. She glanced over at him a couple of times as he sat with his parents at one of the tables, but she did not approach him. Most of her attention was focused on the Weasleys as she helped comfort the grieving family. At one point, Draco watched her leave the room with Ron, and he could have sworn he saw Potter vanishing under his cloak nearby. Without her there to distract him, Draco felt trapped in the Great Hall. His father was glancing around nervously, his hands twitching, while Narcissa kept her head down.

It was when his mother suggested that they leave, slip out the front doors and try to make their way home undetected, that Draco remembered Goyle. He ran to where he had hidden his friend and used his newly acquired wand to remove the immobilizing curse upon him. He and Goyle did not speak very much on their walk back to the Hall. Draco knew that his friend was concerned for his father, who was either dead or bound for Azkaban, and he wasn't sure who to ask. He finally left Goyle in the Hall with Slughorn, and left the school with his parents.

The following days were wrought with emotional turmoil. The Ministry was determined to punish everyone suspected of being involved with the Dark Lord, and the Malfoys were summoned for a trial.

Draco swallowed hard as he entered the Ministry on the allotted day, his anxiety mounting as he saw the hard expressions on each witch and wizard's face. He had been to the Ministry many times with his father, but had never been in the lower level court rooms. He struggled to keep his face impassive as he sat in the large wooden chair indicated by the family attorney, Gacrux Black. There were heavy metal chains on the chair, and they clinked at him menacingly. Draco glanced over at his parents, and watched as they also sat down in similar wooden chairs. Narcissa caught his eye and tried to smile encouragingly, but her fear was evident on her pale face. All of their eyes turned to the front of the room as the Wizengamot began to file in. Everyone remained standing until Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister of Magic, took his place in the front.

"Lucius, Narcissa, and Draco Malfoy." Shacklebolt said slowly, his deep voice reverberating around the room. "You are all charged with various war crimes, including, but not limited to, harboring the Dark Lord, aiding and abetting his mission to overthrow the Ministry, conspiracy, and obstruction of justice. Each charge is punishable by a 25 year term in Azkaban prison. Do you all understand the charges before you?" Draco nodded, feeling dark fear creeping slowly up his spine. "How do you plead?" Shacklebolt continued, and Draco detected a of disdain in his voice.

"Not guilty." Lucius said in a strong voice. "My family..."

"Silence." Shacklebolt said, and this time he did not bother to disguise the contempt in his tone. "You will get your chance to present your evidence. Now is not that time. Nacissa Malfoy, what is your plea to the charges before you?"

"Not guilty!" Narcissa cried out. "Please, my son...!"

"Silence." Shacklebolt said again, and waved his wand. Narcissa's voice was cut off, and she clutched at her throat wildly. "Draco Malfoy, your plea?"

"Why are we bothering with this farce of a trial, Minister?" A voice from the spectator gallery yelled. "Everyone knows the Malfoys are guilty, lock them up and throw away the key!" Cheers erupted from the gallery as the spectators fellows took up the cry. Shacklebolt stood up and waved his wand in the direction of the gallery. A golden stream of light covered the angry crowd, immobilizing and silencing them instantly.

"I will have order in this Court." Shacklebolt stated fiercely. "When I lift the spell, anyone who does not respect this Court will be Vanished from it instantly. If you feel like you cannot control yourself, I invite you to take your leave now." He muttered the counter curse, and the crowd slowly retook their seats. They muttered amongst themselves, but no one dared speak out or move to leave. Shacklebolt turned his attention to Draco.

"Not guilty." He said, hoping his voice was as strong as his father's. Now was not the time to show weakness. Draco had a sudden image of himself being dragged off to Azkaban, screaming and begging for mercy. In his mind's eye, he saw Hermione standing there with the cheering crowd. She was looking at him with disgust and anger. He shook his head quickly, and the image disappeared.

"Well then. Let the record show that all three Malfoys have entered "not guilty" pleas. We will begin hearing evidence in this matter. Allow me to introduce Percival Weasley, newly appointed Chief Prosecutor, and William Weasley, newly appointed Head of Magical Law Enforcement. Draco watched, heart sinking, as the brothers stood up and nodded a greeting to the crowd.

"Thank you Minister." Percy Weasley said smoothly. "I want to begin by showing evidence that the Malfoys knowingly and willingly accepted Tom Marvolo Riddle, more commonly known as Lord Voldemort, into their home with the sole purpose of providing him a base for his covert operations."

"Show your evidence, Mr. Weasley."

"Objection!" The Malfoy family lawyer stood up and faced the hostile court room. "No proof exists that the Malfoys allowed Lord Voldemort in their home. They were his victims, unwilling participants in his nefarious plots! They were under the threat of imminent death if they did not cooperate!" Percy's face turned bright red with anger. He started to protest, but Shacklebolt held up his hand.

"Do you have any _evidence_ to present to this Court, Mr. Black?" Shacklebolt's voice was heavy with sarcasm.

"As a matter of fact, we do." Gacrux replied calmly. "Mr. Harry James Potter, please take the stand." There was a moment of shocked silence, and then the crowd began to protest. Shacklebolt raised his wand, and a loud band echoed around the room. The crowd quieted down and waited. Draco turned around in his seat (causing the chains to clank and raise threateningly) and watched Potter stride up the aisle toward the front of the room. He was looking nervously from side to side. Gacrux raised his wand and conjured a chair near Shacklebolt, and gestured for Harry to sit down. "Now, Mr. Potter, please tell the Wizengamot about the events that took place in the Forbidden Forest on the night of the battle." Potter took a deep breath, and explained how Narcissa had lied to Voldemort, saving his life and ensuring that he was able to return and destroy the Dark Lord. Draco looked over at his mother and smiled at her proudly. He was glad that in the end, she had finally showed the courage to defy Voldemort, and was still alive to tell about it. Draco glanced over at the Weasley brothers, and while they didn't look very happy, neither one dared contradict the Boy Who Lived. "Did young Draco Malfoy have any part in assisting the side of Light during the war?" Gacrux inquired next. Draco looked down. Here was Potter's big chance to send him away, he knew that Potter wouldn't actually lie, but there were many things he could just omit...Draco soon discovered that he had been worrying for nothing. Potter described how Draco had refused to identify him and his friends at Malfoy Manor (Draco was relieved when Potter made it sound like Bellatrix had been the one demanding a positive identification) and what had happened in the Room of Hidden Things. "I have no further questions." Gacrux announced when Potter had finished speaking. He smiled at Potter and moved triumphantly back to Lucius's side.

"Mr. Weasley? Questions for the witness?" Kingsley Shacklebolt said. Percy Weasley opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again, clearly flustered.

"I wasn't aware that this witness would be speaking, Minister. I did not have time to prepare questions..." Percy started to stammer. Shacklebolt shook his head.

"Then you have no questions. Correct?" Percy looked like he wanted to protest, and then nodded, his ears bright red. Shacklebolt looked around at the Wizengamot members. "We will need to convene in private quarters to discuss how to proceed. Court is in recess for approximately 1 hour. No one on trial is to leave this room." He swept from the court room, followed by the Wizengamot. Potter cast a quick look at Draco, but his expression was unreadable. He got up from the chair, and quickly left the courtroom. Percy gave a furious glare in the direction of the Malfoys before bustling after Shacklebolt. The bailiffs moved forward immediately and cast shield charms to protect the Malfoys from the angry crowd, who started yelling abuse as soon as the Minister was gone. Draco looked over at Gacrux.

"What do you think is going to happen?"

The attorney shrugged. "Hard to say. The fact that they want to talk privately is a good sign, it means that Potter's testimony cast some doubt on their accusations. They may require you to testify under Veritaserum, if that happens I'll be there to make sure no incriminating questions are asked..." His voice dropped off as he pulled out a quill and started to write frantically on the parchment in front of him.

Draco passed the long hour by thinking about Hermione and remembering the quick kiss they had shared. The thoughts had a calming effect on him, and he was able to keep his terror at being locked up for the rest of his life at bay.

At exactly 3:00, the Wizengamot, Shacklebolt, and Percy Weasley filed back in. Draco glanced at them, trying unsuccessfully to read their expressions. When everyone was seated, the Minister began speaking.

"We have carefully reviewed the testimony of Harry Potter, as well as other witnesses who chose to send in their accounts anonymously via owl post." Gacrux leaped to his feet, prepared to protest, but Shacklebolt held up his hand. "Allow me to finish, Mr. Black. I will give you an opportunity for rebuttal, if you feel it necessary." Gacrux sat back down slowly, an anxious look on his face. "There were varying accounts made by witnesses during the Battle of Hogwarts, but they all had one common thread. Draco Malfoy fought and managed to injure several known Death Eaters, thereby allowing for their eventual capture and imprisonment." The crowd behind him murmured, but Draco could not tell if they were pleased or not. Narcissa smiled weakly at her son. "The prosecution has offered no solid proof that Draco or Narcissa Malfoy committed any crimes or were involved in a conspiracy. Taking into account the assistance that Madame Malfoy provided to Harry Potter during a critical moment in the war, she is hereby cleared of all charges." Narcissa put her face in her hands, shoulders shaking. Draco took a deep, calming breath, and waited for the Minister to continue. "Draco. While I have said there was no** solid** evidence against your involvement, there is circumstantial evidence related to your presence on the tower the night Albus Dumbledore died." Draco cast a worried look at Gacrux, but the attorney was watching Shacklebolt carefully. "Therefore, your activities will be carefully monitored, and you will need to prove to this court that you have earned the right to freedom among your fellow wizards. Your sentence is no less than 60 hours of community service, specifically the Muggle community. Your community service activities must be approved by myself, and at the conclusion of your service time you must submit written documentation." He stared at Draco sternly. "You have been given a second chance, Mr. Malfoy. I advise you not to waste it." He seemed to be waiting for Draco to respond, so he spoke up.

"Thank you Minister. I appreciate your generosity." Shacklebolt nodded in apparent approval, and then turned to face Lucius Malfoy.

"Lucius Malfoy." His tone was considerably colder, and Draco felt his heart skip a beat. He knew that it was too much to hope for that his entire family could emerge from this unscathed. "Mr. Malfoy, I am very much aware of the fact that if our positions were reversed right now, you would waste no time in throwing me into Azkaban. However, for the sake of the new world we are forging, I am going to put aside my personal feelings and suspicions _for the moment_." He emphasized his last words.

"Thank you Minister." Lucius replied, sounding slightly breathless.

"The only solid, indisputable evidence against you is the fact that you were in the process of serving a prison sentence when Tom Riddle broke you out of prison. We have determined that you are not responsible for the events that followed, as you were virtually a prisoner in your own home. However, you are responsible for following through with your original prison sentence. Therefore, we are offering you a choice. You can choose to return to Azkaban to serve the remainder of your term, or agree to accept the following conditions. Number 1: you agree to have the Trace placed upon you for a minimum of one year. Number 2: you will not be allowed the use of a wand except for work related activities. Number 3: you will work for the Ministry of Magic as head of a new committee—The Four Square Initiative. This committee will seek out involvement from select Muggles, Muggle born witches and wizards, witches and wizards who have one magical parent, and pureblood witches and wizards. The goal of this important initiative will be to unite our worlds, work together, and eliminate old prejudices for the good of all human beings. Your vast experiences on the "other side" of intolerance may prove very valuable to the Four Square Initiative." He stopped talking and waited. Draco looked at his father, eyes wide. Gacrux looked similarly surprised, and a little relieved.

"I accept all of the conditions, Minister." Lucius answered quickly. "I will do my best. Thank you for the opportunity to help create a better world." Draco turned around tentatively and looked at the crowd behind him. He was pleased that while they seemed slightly confused, they no longer looked hostile.

"Lucius, I will expect you back here at 7:30 a.m to begin your new employment. Draco, I will expect your owl detailing your intended community service activity one week from today. You will wait for my approval before beginning. Mr. Black? Anything further?" Shacklebolt addressed his last comment to Gacrux. The attorney got to his feet so quickly that he almost stumbled over the chair's legs.

"Nothing further, Minister."

"Then this Court is dismissed." Shacklebolt gave the family one last fierce look before sweeping out of the room. Draco got shakily to his feet and moved toward his parents. Lucius clapped him on the back, and Draco saw tears in his father's eyes.

"This nightmare, its finally over. It's really over." Narcissa whispered, clutching on to her husband's other arm. Draco gave both of his parents a final embrace, and then turned to leave the courtroom. When he found himself outside, he breathed in the warm spring air, alive with promise and freedom.

**Whew...that was a long chapter! But I thought that the Malfoy trial was the next logical step after the war. Now that he has been more or less cleared, Draco will be free to pursue other interests...namely Hermione...**

**Please review! **


	12. Chapter 12

Draco smirked as he eyed the house in front of him. Finding it had been easy, easier than he would have thought. He would have to speak with Hermione about her Unplottable Spells. He wondered how she would react to him sauntering up to her doorstep and giving her a spell lecture. Instinctively, he rubbed the side of his face and then grinned as the feeling of a slap reverberated through the years. Well, he had to think of a reason for being here. Standing outside of Hermione's house, staring longingly at it was not going to get him any closer to her. He was still pondering ideas when he felt the unmistakable prod of a wand at the back of his neck.

"You have about ten seconds to explain why you're outside of my home." Hermione's cold voice came from behind him. He turned around slowly, hands held palm up at his sides. The wand materialized first, and then Hermione herself as she slipped out of her Disallusionment Charm. Her brown eyes were flashing angrily and her wand hand was steady. Draco attempted to smile innocently.

"Nice to see you again, Hermione."

"Nine seconds." Her tone had not changed.

Draco laughed. "And then what?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously, and he wondered if he had made a mistake. He quickly calculated how fast he could get to his wand and started to move his hand slowly toward his pocket. But then Hermione sighed in an exasperated way and stepped back, wand down.

"Look, Malfoy, I know that this area of town isn't someplace you frequent. I'm very busy, just tell me what you want so I can get back to...what I was doing."

Draco shrugged, and then his eyes lit up. "You heard that my family was on trial, right?"

"Yes, and thanks to Harry, your family got off lightly." She replied.

"I know that and I owe Potter a great deal. I'll tell him soon." Hermione searched his face for signs of insincerity, but seemed to find none. She bit her lip nervously and watched him quietly. "Well," Draco continued, "The Minister wants me to do a project. Concerning Muggles. I came here for ideas."

"You came here, to Muggle London, or you came to see me specifically?" She asked, still suspicious.

"You are the smartest Muggle born I happen to know." Draco said, a teasing lilt to his voice. Damn, he was enjoying talking with her. He couldn't help notice how her brown hair was falling over her shoulders in sexy waves and the Muggle jeans she was wearing outlined her delicious curves. Maybe that could be his project...Muggle inventions and how they could benefit wizard men...

"Thanks, I think." Hermione's voice jolted him out of his thoughts. "Okay, Malfoy, I'd be happy to help you come up with an idea, but now isn't a good time..." She glanced at her house and checked the Muggle wristwatch she was wearing.

"Why, what's going on?" He asked, fully aware that he was out of bounds and she was probably going to tell him off.

The expression that crossed her face suggested that that was her intent, but then she merely shrugged and replied, "I'm going on a trip."

"Where? Somewhere relaxing, I hope. We all deserve it after last year."

Hermione smiled in silent agreement, and Draco felt his heart race. She had such a pretty smile. She hesitated for a moment, and then answered his question, much to his surprise. "I'm going to Australia." There was directness in her voice, and also a trace of anxiety.

"Why Australia?" Draco asked, knowing that he was pushing his luck.

"My parents are there. I sent them there to hide, before the war. I modified their memories so that they wouldn't be able to betray Harry if the Death Eaters caught them. They don't remember me or know that I exist. It's been hard for me, being back here without them." There was a catch in her voice as she looked at her house again. Draco was struck by her loyalty to her friends, the lengths that she had gone to to protect her loved ones.

"You must miss them so much." He said softly. "That really took a lot of courage. I mean, how you took yourself out of your own parent's minds, how you went on the run with Potter..." He stopped as an unpleasant memory of what had happened to her in the Manor swam in front of his eyes. A troubled look crossed Hermione's' face.

"I don't know so much about courage, but it all had to be done. Harry needed me and I couldn't abandon him."

"Is Weasley...er...Ron...going with you?" He asked, a hazy plan forming in his mind. Hermione closed her eyes and shook her head.

"No, of course not. He has to be with his family right now, they're still grieving. His brother Fred died in the war." She said it almost defiantly, daring Draco to comment.

"Yeah, I know." He said. "Remember when he attacked me after the Quidditch game? Had quite the punch, never would have thought he had it in him."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Hermione asked, her tone shrill.

Draco held up his hands. "Easy...I just meant that he and his brother were always laughing, always making jokes, cheering everyone up...violence didn't seem to be their thing, you know? Not that I didn't deserve it." He added quickly, and Hermione relaxed a little.

"I still can't believe he's gone. So many people..." A tear formed in the corner of her eyes. Without thinking, Draco crossed the distance between them and put his hands on her shoulders. He rubbed them gently up and down her arms.

"I feel it too, Hermione. Don't forget, I had that monster living in my house all year...but he's gone now, and everyone who went with him would have been happy with the way it turned out...it was what they wanted..." He fumbled with his words, frustrated that what he wanted to express was not coming out right.

"I don't think anyone wants to be dead, Malfoy." Hermione pulled away from him and started walking toward her door.

"Hermione..." He ran after her, feeling slightly foolish. He had to be the first Malfoy in the history of his family to be making such an arse of himself over a woman. He tried to picture his father stumbling over his words and chasing after a girl and couldn't. She turned quickly, an annoyed expression on her face and her mouth open, most likely to tell him to leave. Before she could say anything, he blurted out "I want to go with you."

**A/N Thank you to everyone who is reading and enjoying this story. Please let me know your thoughts! Hermione is acting a bit "testy" in this chapter, but she has just been through a traumatic experience and is faced with the task of finding her parents. Will she let Draco accompany her? What would Ron have to say about that? Stay tuned... **


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I love reading all of your comments and thoughts! Keep them coming, its really motivating! I don't own Harry Potter, any of the characters, or storylines. **

Hermione froze in place for a moment, and then slowly turned around, a shocked look on her face. "You want to...what?" she asked, staring at him in bewilderment.

"I'm coming with you." Draco stopped a few feet from her. "That would be a great project, give me a chance to observe Muggles in a different culture..." his voice trailed off at the look on her face.

"I don't think so." Her hands were on her hips.

Draco grinned at her. "I wasn't asking permission, Granger. Seems I can travel to Australia if I want. I happen to have been planning a trip there, I hear its just lovely this time of year." Hermione recoiled at the sarcasm in his voice, her face reddening. She recovered quickly and pulled out her wand.

"I think," she said between gritted teeth, "that it will be difficult for you to travel _anywhere_ when I turn you into the slimy ferret that you are..."

"Expelliarmus!" Draco whipped out his own wand and disarmed her before she could make good on her threat. "Reflexes a little off, Granger?" He pocketed her wand with a laugh.

"Give me back my wand!" Hermione shrieked, advancing on him. Draco ducked away from her flailing arms and caught the back of her arm. He quickly steered her into the house, where she rounded on him, eyes flashing. "How dare you...what...give me..." she sputtered furiously.

"Look, Hermione, I want to come with you. After everything that's happened, I need to get away for a little bit, and this isn't something that you should do on your own, anyway."

"Will you ever stop being so arrogant?" Hermione hissed. "What in the name of Merlin makes you think that I am incapable of handling things by myself?" Draco held up his hands in a mock gesture of surrender.

"Whoa. Don't put words into my mouth. I never said you were incapable, and I don't think that. Can't you just accept that sometimes, even you, the strong and tough Hermione Granger, might need some support?"

"Not from you." She wasn't giving in an inch.

"You're not going to make this easy for me, are you." He said, trying unsuccessfully to stop the grin that crossed his face.

"Why should I make anything easy for you? Did you go out of your way to make things easy for me in school? When I was at your house, being tortured by your crazy aunt?" Her last comment made his smile disappear.

"I did help you." He said softly. "I stopped her from hurting you any further by Stunning you. I wasn't going to let Greyback harm you, and it would have meant my own death. Look at me, Hermione. You know I'm telling the truth."

"I..I..don't know anything of that sort." Hermione said weakly.

"I don't believe you." Draco closed the gap between them and took her hands. He looked directly into her eyes. "And you know what else? I also don't believe that you've forgotten about that kiss we shared, either." Her face turned red instantly, letting him know that he was right.

"It..it...it was in the heat of the battle, Malfoy! It didn't mean anything to me..." she was clearly flustered.

"Really." He went in for the kill. "Then prove it. Kiss me now, or are you afraid you might actually feel something for me?" Before she could compose herself, he lowered his head and gently touched his lips to hers. When she didn't pull away, he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. She resisted at first, but then relaxed against him and deepened the kiss. After a few moments, he moved away and gently traced her chin. "I suppose you were right. Nothing at all." Hermione looked up at him, her eyes clouded with confusion and a hunger that he could not define.

"I'm glad we got that straightened out." She whispered.

"Yes." He touched the tip of her nose. "So, what time are we leaving?"

Hermione bristled again. "I still haven't said that I want your company!"

"Oh right, right." Draco pretended to ponder her statement. "Since we just proved that you can stay completely composed around me and are 100% resistant to all of my devious charms, I really see no issue with my accompanying you."

Hermione threw her hands in the air in defeat. "The plane boards at 4:00, Malfoy." She replied testily. "It will depart with or without you."

OooOooOooO

"Draco, is that you?" Narcissa's voice reached him in the entrance way. Draco cursed silently. He had been hoping to make a quick exit without having to do a lot of explaining. His mother appeared a moment later, long blonde hair flowing behind her. "I'm going to need your help with a few things...the Greengrass's are coming over for dinner...I know that you know Daphne, but have you met their younger daughter, Astoria?"

"No, but Daphne might've mentioned her..." Draco replied, distracted. "Look, Mother, I want to let you know that I'm going away for a bit..."

"What?" Narcissa whirled around, her eyes wide with anxiety. "Whatever do you mean, Draco? Away where? Why?"

"It's for my project, you know, the one that's going to keep me out of prison?" Draco said pointedly, knowing that his mother would not be able to argue with that. "Don't worry, its only for a week or so, and I'll send you an owl when I'm settled for the night."

"Where are you going?" Narcissa repeated. "Am I allowed to know where my only child is?"

"Mother, you have to accept that your "only child" is a grown man...I'll be perfectly safe, but I want to get this done, I can't have the distraction of a barrage of owls from you." Narcissa started to protest, but Draco shook his head and held up his hand. "I promise I will let send you an owl tonight, and every night until I return." There was determination in his voice. Narcissa looked away, defeated.

"Well, I suppose its no use arguing with you. You have your father's stubbornness, that's for sure. Do you need anything?"

"Just some clothes, that's why I came home before I left." At the hurt look on her face, he crossed the room and embraced her. "And to say goodbye to my mother, of course."

"Our first dinner party in so long, can't you leave later on tonight, or tomorrow?" Narcissa pleaded. Draco shook his head.

"Mother, I'm sorry, I just don't have time. I promise, when I get back I'll help you plan the best party ever seen in this manor." Narcissa sighed, and then relented.

"You know that I have to tell you to be careful. Don't forget to send that owl tonight!"

"I know. And I will." Draco gave her a quick kiss and practically ran in the direction of his room to pack.


	14. Chapter 14

**Thanks for all of the great reviews, keep them coming! I love hearing what you think about the characters and story line! I don't own anything. Enjoy...**

"Are you sure about this?" Draco asked, eying the large Muggle contraptions with trepidation. Hermione turned to face him, amusement and exasperation in her eyes.

"Yes, of course!" She rolled her eyes. "I fly all the time, its perfectly safe."

"But Muggles don't have any magic, how do those things stay up?" Draco watched one take off into the air with a roar of engines. A familiar sparkle crossed her face, and Draco had to stifle a groan. He knew what was coming.

"Well, there are four forces that keep an airplane in the sky. They are lift, weight, thrust and drag. Lift pushes the airplane up, the way air moves around the wings gives the airplane life. The shape of the wings helps with lift, too. Weight is the force that pulls the airplane toward earth. Airplanes are built so that their weight is spread..."

Draco focused on her brown eyes and nodded in the appropriate places. He hoped that he appeared interested and that his eyes were not glazing over. He was painfully reminded of being back in class, trying to tune Hermione out as she recited long answers to every question.

"...so when all of those forces are working together, that's how the airplane flies." Hermione finished up.

"Thanks, that makes sense." Draco said, hoping that she wouldn't ask him any questions about it. She started laughing immediately, and he felt his heart flutter at the pleasant sound.

"You can't fool me, Malfoy. I know you don't remember a word I said! Don't forget, I'm friends with Harry and Ron..." Draco smiled back at her and shrugged.

"What can I say...seriously, though, I might need that information for my project. It is pretty impressive that Muggles can create all this stuff without magic."

"Yes, I agree." Hermione watched a jet land. "Come on, the line's moving." Draco caught her arm as she started to move forward.

"Wouldn't you rather take broomsticks?"

"No!" The adamant way that she said that let him know the subject was closed. Sighing and trying to control his mounting anxiety, Draco followed her toward a doorway. "Oh, you have to transfigure your wand." Hermione whispered to him.

"What? Why?" Draco instinctively wrapped his fingers around it.

"The Muggles check everything you bring on board...I don't think you want to try to explain to them why you need a stick of wood and that its not something dangerous."

"True." Draco quickly cast a silent Invisibility spell on his wand, and then transfigured it into a coin. He thought better of that a moment later and changed it into a single thread. He used a sticking charm to adhere the thread to the inside of his pocket, and then cast a powerful spell that allowed only himself to find it or change it back. After losing his wand so many times during the war, he certainly wasn't going to take the chance of surrendering it to Muggles. He nervously walked down a narrow hallway which appeared to be attached to the building, and ended at the door to the plane. Draco closed his eyes briefly before stepping through the square entrance way. He knew that if not for his wand safely in his pocket, he would not be doing this at all. He settled himself in an uncomfortable, small seat next to Hermione.

"So what did you end up telling Weasley..er..Ron? About who your traveling companion would be?" He asked, trying to distract himself. A shadow of guilt crossed her face.

"I didn't exactly tell him you would be coming. It would only upset him, he doesn't need that right now. Besides, its not really his business who I travel with."

"Oh?" Draco felt his hope mount. "Aren't you two an item?" He knew that he was pushing his luck, but wanted to hear her answer. She stared at him for a moment, and then slowly shook her head.

"No...I mean, I think he would like to be...we did kiss during the last part of the war, but it wasn't anything like the kiss that..." She gasped in horror and clapped her hand over her mouth. A red blush crept up her cheeks.

"...that you and I shared?" Draco finished, unable to keep the grin from his face. Hermione removed her hand and gave him a murderous glare.

"I didn't say that!"

He shrugged arrogantly. "You didn't have to." He wanted to tease her further, but was distracted by the perky Muggle at the front of the plane. She demonstrated how to use the oxygen mask in case of an emergency and described where the exits were. Draco watched her incredulously.

"So let me get this straight. If something goes wrong with this plane and it, oh, _falls out of the sky_, we're all saved because we know _where the exits are_? Instead of giving us gas masks, why don't they provide broomsticks?"

"Shhh!" Hermione cautioned him, unable to keep the laughter out of her voice. But Draco wasn't finished.

"How can Muggles get on these things, anyway? And sit here so calmly?" He continued to grumble to himself as the plane's monstrous engines started up, and it began to move down the runway.

"Better brace yourself, Malfoy!" Hermione said cheerfully. "The take off is the most exciting part! G forces in action!" Draco started to turn toward her to ask her what she meant, but found out for himself a moment later. The plane picked up speed rapidly, and then began a sharp ascent into the sky. Draco felt himself pushed back into his seat as the plane gained altitude. He clutched his ears as they popped, causing Hermione to laugh again. She seemed to take pity on him after a minute, and offered him a small rectangular stick.

"Here, chew this. It will help the popping." Draco eyed her suspiciously, and then took the stick that she offered. He put it into his mouth and began chewing. A pleasant burst of strawberry flavor filled his mouth, and the chewing action gave him some relief.

"You're right, that does help. What is this?"

"Its the Muggle version of gum." Hermione replied. "Similar to Droobles, except the flavor doesn't last as long."

"Hmm. Its not bad." Draco said thoughtfully. The plane seemed to reach its desired height, and Draco felt it straighten out. He looked out the window, but all he could see were clouds. After a few more minutes, he had to admit that the Muggle plane was a lot more comfortable that traveling by broomstick. As if she knew what he was thinking, when he glanced over at Hermione, she had a triumphant smirk on her face. "What?" he asked, not ready to admit that she had been right.

"Oh nothing...just that you seem to be enjoying your first plane ride."

"It actually is pretty comfortable." Draco admitted. "I mean, with broomsticks you have to cast warming spells and long trips can mean a sore...well, this is okay." Hermione smiled at him. Draco's new found opinion was further cemented when a smiling Muggle woman stopped by their seats and offered him a snack and drink. "Nice!" he said when she had moved away. "I'll have to tell Father about this, Muggles are pretty intelligent, aren't they?"

"You shouldn't sound so surprised." Hermione said, but there was no anger in her voice.

"No, I shouldn't." He replied, looking at her intently. "After all, the smartest witch I know was raised by Muggles."

"The smartest, huh?" She asked, still smiling.

"Definitely. And the most beautiful." He added, wondering what she would do if he reached for her hand.

His thoughts were interrupted by a voice from his right.

"Excuse me, I couldn't help but overhear your conversation...you two are a witch and wizard, correct?" 


	15. Chapter 15

**Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter, and to all of you who put this story on your "favorites" list! I love reading your thoughts/comments, and I'm so glad that so many of you are enjoying this story! (hands out Butterbeers) Here is the next chapter...happy reading! I don't own anything.**

Hermione gave Draco a look of shock and horror before facing the stranger across the aisle. He gave a start at the look on her face and held up his hands.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to alarm you! Its just that you don't see many wizards using Muggle transport anymore. And here we have three of us, and all right next to each other!" Draco studied the man sitting in the row next to him. He had shoulder length blonde hair, a round, almost babyish face, and his blue eyes were opened wide. He smiled at them. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Peryglus Siege, but please call me Perry, everyone does." Hermione studied him for a moment, and then Draco felt her relax slightly.

"I'm Hermione Granger." She said quietly. "It's nice to meet you Perry." The man turned to Draco, his face open and friendly. There was something in his demeanor that reminded Draco of Neville Longbottom.

"Draco." He introduced himself, but didn't give his last name. He wasn't sure why, there appeared to be nothing dangerous or suspicious about the man at all. An uneasy memory pricked at the back of his mind, but nothing substantial came to the surface.

"Is this your first time using Muggle transportation?" Perry asked. Draco nodded slowly.

"Yeah. I must say, they might be on to something."

"I couldn't agree more!" Perry said enthusiastically. "It almost makes our methods seem outdated and barbaric! I'll take this cushioned seat over a hard broomstick any day!" He winked at them, and Hermione giggled.

"Well, I was raised by Muggles, so I'm pretty well used to flying on airplanes. I never did quite take to broomsticks."

"Your not missing much, eh Draco?" Perry laughed. Draco smiled back politely, and tried again to recall the nagging memory. "The only uncomfortable part was that inspection. Tell me, what did you two transfigure your wands into? I made mine into this pen." He pulled a pen out of his pocket and grinned at them conspiratorially.

"A book of course." Hermione said, giving Draco a wry smile. He touched her hand gently.

"I should have known. Anyone who knows you wouldn't suspect a thing."

"A little book learning never hurt anyone!" Perry declared. "What about you Draco? Any clever tricks up your sleeve?"

"I lost my wand in the war." Draco replied, and Perry lost his smile immediately.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know.."

"Of course you didn't." Draco reassured him. "That's one of the reasons for our little trip here, to get me a new wand. I hear that there are some great wand makers in Australia."

"That there are." Perry answered seriously. They chatted for a few more minutes about Hogwarts and Muggles, and then Perry undid his seat belt. "If you would both excuse me...I need to head to the loo." He gave them a smile before getting to his feet and moving toward the back of the plane. When he was out of sight, Hermione turned toward Draco, a worried look on her face.

"Why did you lie to him, about your wand?"

"I don't know." Draco replied truthfully. "I lost my wand twice during the war, I guess I'm extra protective of it now." Hermione studied him, and then nodded.

"I understand. I remember how distraught Harry was when I accidentally destroyed his..." Her voice trailed off and she shivered. Draco touched her hand again, and didn't let go this time.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She shook her head.

"Maybe another time. Not right now." She raised her eyes to his. "Do you think it was wrong of me to tell Perry what I did with my wand?" She clutched the small book tighter with her other hand.

"No, he seems okay." Draco answered with a frown.

"What?" Hermione asked, noticing his expression.

"I don't know." Draco said again, frustrated. "Its just that when he said his name, I remembered something...something to do with my father..." He shook his head. "Probably nothing. If it was anything important, I'd know."

"Right." Hermione said, but she didn't sound convinced. Draco smiled at her and squeezed her hand.

"Really Hermione, its okay. Don't get all worried just because I'm paranoid. This war affected all of us in different ways, its going to take some time to get back to normal again."

"Yes, you're right." She said, and smiled back. At that moment, Perry came walking back down the aisle. He took his seat and gestured toward Hermione excitedly.

"You..you...I thought your name sounded familiar...you're...you're..." He stammered. Hermione looked embarrassed. "Hermione Granger. You helped defeat He Who Must Not Be Named! I can't believe this!" Hermione looked down, blushing.

"Its been a busy couple of months." Draco deadpanned, hoping that Perry would settle down. He didn't want the Muggles on the plane to start getting suspicious. Hermione evidently had that same thought, because she looked up quickly and answered.

"Yes, Perry, that's me...but please don't make such a big deal, I was just helping do what had to be done..."

"Don't make a big deal?" Perry asked incredulously. "My dear, you must have such exciting stories! Would you be willing to humor me with a couple? What was it like, being out there on the front line? Fighting _him_?"

Draco started to open his mouth to tell Hermione that she didn't have to talk about anything that she didn't want to, but she held up her hand and shrugged.

"Why not? Well, I don't know how _exciting_ it is, but I can tell you about the time I tried to cook fish and mushrooms..." She went on to describe, in a light hearted way, some of the trio's adventures while camping during that long winter. Draco found himself laughing at some parts of her story, finding it hard to picture the intelligent Hermione Granger not knowing how to prepare food. Perry entertained them with some stories of his own, and before Draco knew it, the Muggle captain's voice resonated through the plane, declaring that they would be landing soon in Australia.


	16. Chapter 16

**Here we go! Enjoy...and I have to wonder, did anyone perchance look up the meaning of Perry's full name? **

"Is the landing as bad as the taking off?" Draco asked Hermione anxiously. She grinned at him.

"Much, much worse!" When he blanched, she laughed out loud and shook her head. "I'm just kidding...the landing is actually sort of fun. The pilot is going to circle the airport, slowly going down with each circle. You'll feel how fast we're going when he touches down and goes on the runway, that's the fun part."

"Okaaay." Draco said, not convinced. He glanced over at Perry, who shrugged and winked again. But Draco soon discovered that Hermione was correct, the descent was a little bumpy, but nothing like he had experienced on a broomstick. The plane seemed to glide smoothly on to the runway, and the he felt the wheels hit it with a small screech and a thump. The plane raced down the long stretch of pavement, and gradually slowed down. It rolled toward one of the attached "hallways," and then came to a stop. Hermione turned toward Draco, her eyes sparkling.

"Well, it appears that you've survived your first plane flight! Now tell me honestly, how did you like it?"

"I really did like it." Draco replied. "Thanks, Hermione." He had a sudden, pleasant vision of the two of them taking a plane ride to a peaceful, tropical island together.

"I'm glad." She said, and then her face clouded over.

"What's wrong?" He asked, concerned.

"I'm just worried...about where to start looking, how to reverse the charm, if they'll remember me..." Her voice lowered and he saw a tear glistening in the corner of her eye.

"Hermione..." Draco ran his hand up and down her arm, stopping to squeeze her shoulder gently. "I have every confidence that you can reverse that charm, there's not a spell out there that you can't tackle. And they're your parents, of course they'll remember you. I don't think a spell can erase those kind of memories permanently. As for finding them, I'm here with you, so no worries." He grinned confidently, making her laugh and roll her eyes.

"You're so arrogant." But her voice was affectionate rather than scornful.

"But that's why you like me." He drawled.

"Who said I like you?" Hermione replied, playfully punching his arm.

"Trust me, a guy knows these things." Draco answered, wishing desperately that they were not on a plane but alone somewhere...

"Time to go!" Perry's voice interrupted his thoughts. Draco looked up, and saw all of the Muggles standing, retrieving their bags, shuffling toward the door. "After you." Perry said politely, gesturing that Hermione and Draco should go first. Draco nodded his thanks, let Hermione exit, and then followed behind her. They followed the line out of the plane, down the hallway, and into the airport. Draco watched as some Muggles greeted friends and others rushed off, presumably to catch another plane. He turned to face Perry, who was still behind them.

"It was nice to meet you..." he started to say, but was stopped by an expression that had come over the other man's face.

"Expelliarmus!" Perry pointed his pen in the direction of Hermione. She squealed as her book flew out of her hand and into his waiting one.

"What do you think you're doing?" Draco asked furiously. Perry smiled, but the friendliness was gone.

"I will give you a choice, Mr. Malfoy. You and Ms. Granger will come quietly, without any fuss or scenes, or I will destroy this Muggle establishment." He motioned with his head, never taking his eyes off of Draco. Draco followed his movements, and saw a young Muggle woman walking hand in hand with a toddler. They were both smiling happily. "Your choice." Perry's voice was hard. "But the end result shall be the same." Hermione clutched on to Draco's arm, her breath coming out in scared gasps.

"Who are you? How do you know Draco's name? Why are you doing this?" she asked breathlessly. He shook his head.

"Not here. Trust me, all of your questions will be answered in good time. Now, move." He indicated with his wand that they were to head toward a nearby exit door.

"Okay, we're going. Calm down." Draco said, his mind racing. He didn't want to go anywhere with Perry, but he didn't see a way out of their situation that wouldn't cause harm to the innocent people bustling around them. He was also overcome with a sense of disbelief, how could things have suddenly taken this turn? He took Hermione's hand and started walking toward the door, desperately trying to think of a solution.

"Good choice." Perry sneered. "These Muggle contraptions have accidents all time. Looks like today is their lucky day." He didn't say another word as they left the building. When they were outside, Perry steered them over to a semi isolated alleyway. "Now, don't think I actually believe that you don't have a wand on you, Mr. Malfoy." He mumbled a spell, and the pen turned back into a wand. It was a scorched black color, and had a deep gouge in it. He pointed it at Draco and said, "Accio wand!" Nothing happened. "Hmm. Spellius Revelio!" Draco stared at him in defiance while he waited.

"I told you, I don't have a wand. If I did, you wouldn't be standing upright." Perry threw his head back and laughed.

"Big talk, but you Malfoys were always good at that. Last chance." He waited, but Draco just shrugged his shoulders and showed his empty hands.

"Look, why don't you let her go, you don't need her..."

"On the contrary, I most certainly do. Now, I did warn you...Legilimens!" Draco only had a second to brace himself and throw up his barriers as the spell hit him. He couldn't help crying out in pain as Perry brutally sifted through his mind. He was dimly aware that Hermione was screaming.

"Stop it, stop it, you're hurting him!"

"Quiet!" Perry sent a Silencing spell at Hermione, and her cries stopped abruptly. He turned his attention back to Draco. "Well, it would appear that you are telling the truth. That's good, it makes things easier. Time to go." He roughly grabbed both of their arms.

"Where are you taking us?" Draco demanded, trying to pull his arm out of Perry's iron grip.

Perry smiled malevolently. "Oh, I'm sorry...I forgot to mention that you two won't be doing very much sightseeing on this trip." Keeping a firm grasp on them, he turned in midair, and Draco felt the pull of Apparition whisk them away.


	17. Chapter 17

**So sorry about the long time in between updates, it was a busy holiday season! But everything is back to normal now, so on with the story! I don't own Harry Potter, any of the characters, or storylines. Don't forget to send a review and let me know what you think!** **The next update will be faster!**

Draco's heart was pounding as they reappeared inside of a building. He looked around quickly, trying to take in as much of the surroundings as possible. There were no windows or doors to be seen. Dim lights were coming from torches on the walls, which he noticed were made of stone. _Underground. _ The thought entered his head immediately, and another look around seemed to confirm it. He had an unpleasant feeling of being far, far below the surface, and it was unsettling. He took a deep breath and reminded himself not to panic. His and Hermione's survival depended on him keeping a clear head. He turned slowly to face their captor, who had released his hold on them.

"What's going on?" He took a step closer to Hermione, and wished he dared to put his arm around her shaking shoulders. Perry put his wand away, crossed his arms, and grinned at them.

"Why, its very simple, Mr. Malfoy. If you think about it long enough, you'll probably figure it out. Fortunately for you, we have nothing but time." Hermione looked from Draco to Perry, glaring.

"Well, I'm in the dark. Why don't you enlighten me? Who are you? What do you want from us?"

"All in due time, Ms. Granger. Let us move out of the entranceway and into more comfortable quarters, shall we?" Without waiting to make sure they would follow, Perry moved over to the far wall. He took out his wand and waved it over the blank space, and within seconds a door appeared. He gestured for them to follow him, and disappeared through it. Hermione looked questioningly at Draco, who shrugged.

"I don't know if we can apparate out of here." He whispered. Hermione shook her head.

"We've got to try, Draco!" Her voice was shrill, and echoed in the large stone room. Perry poked his head back through the doorway.

"Oh, I'm so sorry...I neglected to mention that this entire compound is magically sealed. Even if you had wands, which you do not, there is no way for you to leave. Now, if you would please follow me...my patience is beginning to wane."

"Is he telling the truth?" Hermione whispered this time as they slowly made their way toward the door.

"I don't know," Draco answered, "but it would be foolish to take the risk at this point." He looked down at her. "I won't let him harm you." She started to respond, but was taken aback by the sincerity in his voice. Without another word, they went through the door and found themselves in a smaller stone room. This one contained chairs and a couch. Perry was sitting in one of the chairs, and indicated that they should sit down as well. Draco would have preferred to remain standing, but he could sense a terrifying anger in Perry, bubbling just under the surface. _That may come in handy later_, he mused, _but for the moment we had better do what he says_. He sat down on the couch and gently pulled Hermione down beside of him. Perry surveyed them for a moment, smiling widely.

"And now," he declared cheerfully, "the explanation you are wanting. I have to admit, I'm feeling rather giddy that this day has finally arrived." He stopped, but Draco and Hermione didn't respond. Draco's mind was racing...where did he know of this man from? "The war is over, The Dark Lord has been defeated, all is well in the Wizarding World. Ms. Granger, you have come to search for your parents, whom you sent to Australia for their protection. Mr. Malfoy, I don't know exactly why you're here, but it is an unexpected bonus. Are we up to speed? Anything I've missed?" Hermione jumped to her feet, fists clenched.

"How do you know about my parents? Who are you?" Draco grabbed her hand and pulled her back down beside him. Perry laughed.

"Why don't you ask your friend Mr. Malfoy? He knows who I am, don't you, boy?" Draco shook his head slowly, trying to keep his anger at bay.

"Sorry, I'm afraid I don't. The only kidnapping psychopaths I formally was associated with are rotting corpses now." His grey eyes flashed, and he readied himself to summon his wand. Instead of looking offended, Perry laughed again.

"I always did enjoy that Malfoy humor. Let me enlighten you. Lucius must have spoken about the Dark Lord's international sect? No? Hmmm..." And then Draco suddenly remembered. It came in a flash of understanding, a burst of memory. It had been a few years ago, he had overheard his father talking about Voldemort's overseas connections, a rogue group of Death Eaters, headed by none other than...Draco groaned and said the name aloud,

"...Periglus Seige."

"Draco?" Hermione's face was etched with worry and fear as she looked back and forth between Draco and Perry. Draco swallowed hard as he remembered how his father, who had feared practically no one, had spoken Perry's name in a hushed whisper and then never mentioned it again.

"He's a Death Eater, he works for Voldemort..." Draco started to explain. Hermione's hand flew to her mouth and her eyes widened in terror.

"No...no...its all supposed to be over..."

"Ah, the best laid plans." Perry said dramatically. "And I'm afraid you're wrong on both counts, Draco. Since there are no Death Eaters left, I cannot possibly be one. The Dark Lord has been vanquished, so I do not work for him. The Dark Lord let his emotions get in the way, again and again. His leadership was unquestionable, however his decision making skills were another matter. I have been waiting for you, Ms. Granger. Draco, I had plans for you as well, now I can put them into action sooner than later. You see, I am going to finish what the Dark Lord started, but unfortunately never quite completed...he was too close to the situation and had too many, shall we say, unresolved issues. I, however, am..."

"A ruthless killer." Draco finished for him, gripping the arm of the couch. Perry pretended to ponder his statement.

"Well, I was going to say a more precise planner and in a better position to carry out those plans, but "ruthless killer" does have a nice ring to it. Wouldn't you agree, Ms. Granger?" He leaned forward, leering at Hermione, who cringed back.

"Leave her alone!" Draco shouted, causing Perry to throw his head back and laugh loudly.

"I do not believe you are in a position to make demands, Draco. Begging for mercy comes to mind, but more on that later." He winked, and the overall effect was terrifying.

"What...what do you want with me?" Hermione asked, her voice shaking. She shook her head, as if to gain control of herself, and narrowed her eyes. "I hate to disappoint you, but I'll never help you and neither will Draco."

Perry tapped his chin thoughtfully. "Well now, you have no wand, you have no way of escaping my compound, and no one knows you are here. I'd say you are completely at my mercy, Hermione." Draco watched Perry clasp his hands together in glee, and waited. There would be more, he thought, his heart sinking. "Why, how silly of me...I almost forgot! I believe this is what they call "the ace in the hole." Is that correct, Draco?" Draco did not respond, and Perry didn't wait. "Here is my insurance, if you will, that will ensure your complete cooperation." He waved his wand, and a fuzzy picture of another stone lined room appeared in front of them. Two figures took shape, and then the image cleared. Draco stared as a slightly familiar woman and man, disheveled looking and terrified took form. Hermione's reaction, however, was more telling. She leaped to her feet again, tears streaming down her face as she reached toward the image.

"Oh no! Mum! Dad!"


End file.
